This report argues that agricultural research and development is at a crossroads — one path leads to the privatisation of agriculture and the other towards farmer-led agriculture.

It claims that intellectual property rights (IPR) are incompatible with sustainable agriculture, and warns that sui generis systems designed to boost domestic public research cannot simultaneously attract foreign private sector investment.

The report urges Asian governments to address the inherent threats of IPR over genetic resources, to take a look at other options that would better serve the interests of their people, and to start implementing a truly pro-people agricultural research and development agenda.

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