A database to help entrepreneurs identify and embrace new technologies

L-R: Sitting: Dr HB Singh, Dr R Kalpana Sastry, Dr Parveen Arora, Dr Ajit Rangnekar L-R: Standing: Dr Kumar Aashish, Dr AS Prasada Reddy, Prof. V.C. Vivekanandan, Mr B Hanumanth Rao, Dr Sobhan Babu Sajja, Dr Surya Mani Tripathi, Ms Sravanti Vedula. Photo: K Srivalli, Senior Officer-Partnership Development, AIP

A dynamic pan-Indian database of Intellectual Property-protected technologies developed by Public Research Institutions from the agricultural sector is being created by ICRISAT with support from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The database is designed to help entrepreneurs identify and embrace innovative technologies.

To facilitate the work a Local Project Advisory Committee meeting was held. Members discussed the mapping status of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) policy and agriculture-related IPR in Indian academic and research institutions. The importance of developing indicators for better implementation of the National IPR Policy-2016 in academic/research institutions in the agricultural domain and bridging the gap between technology developers and technology seekers was also discussed.

Members from research fraternities and government offices participated in the meeting. The DST was represented by Dr Parveen Arora, and Dr HB Singh. Dr R Kalpana Sastry,  Professor Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad, and Ex-Director ICAR-NAARM, Hyderabad, chaired the meeting. The meeting was held on 2 May at the Agribusiness and Innovation Platform office, ICRISAT and was organized by its Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell. Dr Surya Mani Tripathi, Legal Counsel, ICRISAT, is the project coordinator.