East-West Seed supports a strong and balanced plant variety protection (PVP) system aligned with the UPOV 1991 Act, while fully recognizing farmers’ rights as provided under national law.
We believe that effective PVP and the protection of farmers’ rights are complementary, not conflicting, and together contribute to innovation, farmer choice, and sustainable agricultural development.
Plant Breeders Rights (PBR), also known as Plant Variety Protection (PVP), are time-limited intellectual property rights granted for newly developed plant varieties. PVP stimulates innovation by encouraging breeders to develop and release new plant varieties that help farmers address challenges including climate change.
The UPOV 91 act is widely recognized as the most advanced international standard for plant variety protection, offering a balanced system that benefits breeders, farmers, and the broader socio-economic environment.. The scope of breeders rights excludes acts done for research and development purposes, as well as acts carried out privately and for non-commercial purposes. The use of farm-saved seeds is recognized as an optional exception under breeders’ rights. Click here to read more.
Farmer’s rights refers to a concept outlined in Article 9 of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). Farmers should have their rights to save, use, exchange and sell farm saved seeds/propagating material, subject to national law and as appropriate (article 9.3 of ITPGRFA).
East-West Seed believes that a PVP system should acknowledge farmers’ rights, allowing them to remain free to save, use, and exchange seeds for their own use, in accordance with national law. We at East-West Seed fully support a robust PVP system following the UPOV 91 act and also we believe that a strong PVP system will help to provide the benefits for both farmers and breeders.
East-West Seed supports the complementarity between formal and informal seed systems In Indonesia, East-West Seed collaborates with KTNA (Kontak Tani Nelayan Andalan), the Indonesian National Outstanding Farmers and Fishermen Association, to introduce true shallot seed (TSS), establish learning centers, and provide training through SIPINDO, a digital platform linking farmers to the supply chain.
In the Philippines, we collaborate with seven (7) farmers’ cooperatives with a total membership of 4,760 farmers engaged in contract seed growing. These cooperatives produce ninety-nine percent (99%) of the target seed production in the country. The average production area per grower is 3,900 square meters. This partnership demonstrates the active role of smallholder farmers within the formal seed system, supported through organized production, technical guidance, and market access.
At East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation (EWS-KT) farmers receive training on sustainable production practices and improved farm management, strengthening their capacity to make informed production choices for their farms. More about EWS-KT here.
All in all, East-West Seed brings a wider choice to farmers. We showcase profitable and sustainable production systems (using commercial seeds). It is however the farmers’ decision if they step away from farm-saved seeds towards high quality commercial seeds. For farmers trying to develop a more competitive place in their rapidly transforming markets (as the economy develops, consumer demand is for quality), they need both the marketable and agronomic traits which commercial seeds offer.
A strong and balanced PVP system, aligned with UPOV 1991 and respectful of farmers’ rights under national law, enables innovation, enhances farmer choice, and supports sustainable agricultural development.
