Intellectual property rights, agriculture, and rural communities.

The global extension of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in agriculture and the simultaneous move towards evolving community and farmers' rights have significant implications for the future of rural communities. While IPRs are based on individual interests, the movement for granting farmers' rights is becoming diluted towards assigning ownership rights in a similar fashion as IPRs. It is important to reframe the debate to ensure that communities can claim their role in national and international negotiations.