Contributions

FP4.11 Intellectual Asset and Open Access Management

Many modern breeding products and inventions are under proprietary control. Hence patent and proprietary issues will be an important part of FP4 and indeed GLDC will ensure that institutions can access and use technologies under appropriate conditions. IP issues will be managed through various agreements to support access of germplasm by partners, national to regional. Most partners have their own institutional IP policies and in the case of CGIAR, institutional policies for material transfer and acquisition and publications will apply. FP4 will also: (i) raise awareness and ability to address IP issues within the projects; (ii) ensure that research results and IP assets are identified systematically and protected if necessary; and (iii) ensure that third-party IP is accessed and utilized in a fair and transparent way. To meet these needs, FP4 will develop within the overall GLDC strategy a common framework of IP agreements for the implementing partners. As part of this process, FP4 will make an initial IP assessment and “freedom to operate” exercise for each of its projects. FP4 will also leverage ICRISAT’s IP team and GLDC program management due to their expertise in the region to form the basis of an IP Management Committee for FP4.