From the 25th up to the 29th of March, a delegation of three international specialists visited the Dominican Republic in regards to a development program for plant breeder's rights (PVP-toolbox).
The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality is financing the program. The Dominican Republic is a member of the UPOV since June 2007. The introduction of the plant breeder’s rights system is still in the development stages. During the visit, Mrs. Ana Luisa Díaz, PVP advisor from Colombia, Mrs. Sra. Sara Quinteros Malpartida from the PVP-research station in Peru and Mrs. Laura Piñán González, DUS-specialist at Naktuinbouw, provided technical support to the Dominican office for plant varieties and the research station so they could start practical procedures (forms, instructions, databases, naming and DUS).
The Plant Variety Office (OREVADO) was officially initiated on Friday, the 29th of March by the Minister of Agriculture, El sr. Osmar Benitez and the Dutch ambassador, Drs. Annemieke A. Verrijp.
The delegation also participated in a national seminar for local universities, public research institutes, private breeders and farmers with, as its goal, the raising of awareness for the need of a properly functioning plant breeders' rights system. During the seminar, they emphasized the most important role of plant breeder’s rights, which is to not only provide plant breeders but also farmers with better breeds.
For more information:
Naktuinbouw
www.naktuinbouw.com