Who Adopts What Kind of Technologies? The Case of Bt Eggplant in India

The public-private partnership involved in the development of Bth eggplant in India is unique in the context of developing countries, where poor farmers' access to technology is limited. The key questions arising in this context are: Who adopts what kind of technology? What are the factors influencing their decisions? We answer these questions using data from a farm-level survey conducted in Maharashtra, India. Our results indicate that factors influencing hybrid adoption exert similar effects on the expected adoption of Bt hybrid eggplant and opposite effects on the decision to adopt Bt open-pollinated varieties (OPV). Even though some farmers who decided to grow Bt hybrid eggplant might switch to Bt OPVs when available, most of the early adopters of Bt hybrid would continue to grow Bt hybrid eggplant. Thus, our study gives initial empirical evidence on the economic feasibility of the public-private partnership in the research and development of Bt eggplant in India.Financial support provided from Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program and Agricultural Biotechnology Support Program (ABSP II) of Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID) for this research.Includes bibliographical reference

Seed industry and seed policy reforms in Bangladesh: impacts and implications

High population density in Bangladesh implies that agricultural productivity improvement is key to ensure food security. This raises the need for increased research and development investment in the agricultural sector. Although Bangladesh has enacted various seed policy reforms since 1990s to attract the private sector, the seed sector in Bangladesh still remains less developed and relies heavily on imports for the supply of quality seeds. Unlike in Bangladesh, the seed policy reforms in India contributed to the development of a competitive seed industry in India. In this study, we examine the characteristics of seed sector in Bangladesh, conduct a comparative analysis of seed policy reforms in Bangladesh and India, and empirically examine the effect of Bangladesh seed policy reforms on cereal crops’ productivity. Results from the study have implications for seed industry stakeholders and policy makers in developing countries, particularly in designing strategies and policies for seed industry development

Seed industry and seed policy reforms in Bangladesh: impacts and implications

High population density in Bangladesh implies that agricultural productivity improvement is key to ensure food security. This raises the need for increased research and development investment in the agricultural sector. Although Bangladesh has enacted various seed policy reforms since 1990s to attract the private sector, the seed sector in Bangladesh still remains less developed and relies heavily on imports for the supply of quality seeds. Unlike in Bangladesh, the seed policy reforms in India contributed to the development of a competitive seed industry in India. In this study, we examine the characteristics of seed sector in Bangladesh, conduct a comparative analysis of seed policy reforms in Bangladesh and India, and empirically examine the effect of Bangladesh seed policy reforms on cereal crops’ productivity. Results from the study have implications for seed industry stakeholders and policy makers in developing countries, particularly in designing strategies and policies for seed industry development

Disease Resistance of Wheat Varieties: Can Private Varieties Withstand the Pressure?

US wheat varieties are examined for differential disease resistance between public and private varieties, an issue for critics of plant intellectual property. Analysis using disease resistance rankings of wheat varieties from Kansas and Texas indicate that private varieties are as or more resistant. This finding was further confirmed with two years of Texas data. Thus, the results from the study reject the criticism of private breeding activities that they are more susceptible to disease compared to public varieties. However, private varieties resistance is incorporated from public offerings so that productive private wheat breeding is partly derivative

Seed industry and seed policy reforms in Bangladesh: impacts and implications

High population density in Bangladesh implies that agricultural productivity improvement is key to ensure food security. This raises the need for increased research and development investment in the agricultural sector. Although Bangladesh has enacted various seed policy reforms since 1990s to attract the private sector, the seed sector in Bangladesh still remains less developed and relies heavily on imports for the supply of quality seeds. Unlike in Bangladesh, the seed policy reforms in India contributed to the development of a competitive seed industry in India. In this study, we examine the characteristics of seed sector in Bangladesh, conduct a comparative analysis of seed policy reforms in Bangladesh and India, and empirically examine the effect of Bangladesh seed policy reforms on cereal crops’ productivity. Results from the study have implications for seed industry stakeholders and policy makers in developing countries, particularly in designing strategies and policies for seed industry development

The impact of seed policy reforms and intellectual property rights on crop productivity in India

PRIFPRI3; ISI; CSISA; CRP2EPTD; PIMCGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM

Intellectual property rights, private investment in research, and productivity growth in Indian agriculture: A review of evidence and options

With the growth of private investment in developing-country agriculture, new advances in the biological sciences, and rapid integration of developing countries into the global trading system, intellectual property rights (IPRs) have become an important concern for policymakers, corporate decisionmakers, and many other players in the agricultural sector. But there are still unanswered questions about whether emerging and evolving IPR regimes in developing countries will contribute to increasing agricultural productivity and improving food security. This paper attempts to answer some of these questions by tracing the effects of IPRs on private investment in crop genetic improvement and, in turn, on agricultural productivity. The paper focuses specifically on the case of India, the regional leader in implementing IPRs in agriculture. Findings indicate that maize and pearl millet yields grew significantly during the last two decades due to the combination of (1) public policies that encouraged private investment in India’s seed industry during the 1980s, (2) public investment in hybrid breeding programs that generated new materials offering substantial yield gains, and (3) biological IPRs conferred by hybridization that conveniently married the private sector’s need for appropriability with the nation’s need for productivity growth. Although past lessons are not an indication of future success, this convergence of policy solutions and technology opportunities can be replicated for other crops that are vital to India’s food security.Non-PRIFPRI1; Theme 9; Subtheme 9.1; GRP1; CSISAEPT