IRRI: The Experience of an

International Public Research Institute

IRRI’s Mission Statement

Our goal To improve the well-being of present and future generations of rice farmers and consumers, particularly those with low incomes

Types of Research Activities

• Traditional plant breeding• Biotechnology• Water and nutrient management• Agricultural engineering• Social sciences

Types of Research Partners

• Ministries of Agriculture• Universities

–public–private

• Research Institutes–public–private

Access to Research Materials

Germplasm and plant varieties for further breeding

>100,000 accessions available in the IRRI Gene Bank

contributions through networks, such as INGER research collaborations

Biotechnology• Publicly available materials• Licensing in of third-party tangible and intellectual properties• Research only licenses

Access to Research Materials(Continued…)

Issues encountered with third party IPRs

Exclusivity of licensing

Example: rice genome sequence

Right to sublicense

Responsibility involved with sublicensing

Market Segmentation

Licensed technologies

• Golden RiceTM

• Xa21 gene

Factors that Affect Decision to Protect Research Results

IPR policies and guidelines of donors

No IPRs

Encourage IPRs

Silent on the issue

IRRI’s policies and guidelines• Unrestricted sharing of germplasm for pre-CBD collections• Sharing of germplasm and varieties, as permitted by donor, for post CBD collections• Formal IP protection of biotechnologies only if it is the best way to serve the clients

Factors that Affect Decision to Protect Research Results

(Continued…)

IRRI’s policies and guidelines• Agricultural equipment – Philippine patents in the

past• Copyrightable materials – books, media assets• Trademark of IRRI and IR name and logo• No trade secrets

Factors that Affect Decision to Protect Research Results

(Continued…)

Intellectual Properties and Commercialization

Licensing of IRRI’s IP assets – limited

Photos from the IRRI Photobank

Maps and other GIS data

Commercialization

Transfer of technologies to national partners and farmers 

Transfer of Technologies

• Send materials with a Material Transfer Agreement

• Licensing of copyrightable materials

• Publications and seminars

• Advise

• Release of plant varieties

Transfer of Technologies

• Field days

• News releases

• Training

• Postdoctoral fellowships

• Other research fellowships

(Continued…)

Future Developments

Terms of rice germplasm exchange will change according to International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

Uncertain how non-signatory countries will be affected.

IPR and technology exchange policies and practice will remain flexible!