A new churn
A
21-day sponsored training programme organised by NAARM discusses the
implications of the World Trade Organisation and other allied international
agreements on agriculture
Notwithstanding
its contribution towards increased agricultural production and productivity,
the Indian agricultural research system is now faced with more challenges
in the light of globalisation and economic liberalisation. With India
making great strides in technology, development and utilisation, agriculture
is becoming an issue under the new trading regime. Further, with India
becoming a member of World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the consequent
rationalisation or reforms in Industrial Property Laws, it is necessary
to develop the concept of ‘technology’ as one of the most
important ‘wealth accumulator.’ Since international business
is technology centered, it is imperative to develop human resources
in India to meet the impending demands. India needs to be conscious
of the need to sensitise the agriculture scientists to the implications
of various international agreements in the post-WTO regime on Indian
agriculture. Consequent policy and institutional imperatives are required
by agricultural research systems, to introduce them to the appropriate
instruments and methods for dealing with industrial property and research
to facilitate commercialisation and technology transfer. The time
has come to go beyond the awareness stage on various international
trade agreements in agriculture to possess ‘working knowledge.’
This would help new research programmes that can be shaped by the
large human resource of over 30,000 scientists present in the National
Agricultural Research System (NARS) to reap the benefits in the competitive
environment. A 21-day sponsored training programme on Implications
of World Trade Organisation and other allied international agreements
on Indian Agriculture was organised at the National Academy of Agricultural
Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad. “The training programme
was organised exclusively for the agricultural scientists, for the
first time in India,” said RK Samanta, Director, Naarm. The aim
of the programme was to create an awareness of new perspectives due
to the emergence of WTO, to equip the participants with knowledge
and also skills to re-orient their research work in the new regime.
The programme addressed a broad range of issues relating to the implications
of various international agreements in the post-WTO regime on Indian
agriculture. The programme also introduced them to the appropriate
instruments and methods for dealing with industrial property arising
out of their research to facilitate technology transfer. The course
map was drawn in such a way that the participants were initially oriented
towards the global agricultural scenario. This included Indian agriculture
achievements, future perspectives, National agricultural policies,
agricultural research policies and the issue of global forces of trading
culminating in institutions like WTO. While all the agreements were
discussed, emphasis was given to an agreement on agriculture, its
impact and possible cues for researchers to work and answer the needs
of farmers. Ranbir Singh, Director, National Academy of Legal Studies
and Research Studies (NALSAR), Hyderabad emphasised the need for such
programmes to develop a rational approach to scientific research especially
in a dynamic scenario like Indian agriculture that has multiple ...
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