EDS315 Governance of Plant Genetic Resources and Seeds: Laws, Policies and Practices

Credits (ECTS):5

Course responsible:Ola Tveitereid Westengen

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Limits of class size:Minimum: 10, maximum: 25

Course frequency:

Even years

The course is cancelled in 2024.

Nominal workload:125 hrs work load in all.

Teaching and exam period:This course starts in June block. This course has teaching/evaluation in June block, .

About this course

Cancelled in 2022.

This course is about the governance regime for crop biodiversity from the international to the local level. It is an intensive and interactive course with four weeks of lectures, local excursions and seminars. The course covers: 1) International agreements governing biodiversity (The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), The Nagoya Protocol (NP), The Plant Treaty (ITPGRFA)); Implementation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) such as patents and plant variety protection in relation to international agreements like WTO-TRIPS and UPOV; 3) Local and national seed supply systems and seed laws; Political economy of plant breeding and seed systems and the concepts of Farmers’ Rights and the seed related parts in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants (UNDROP)

Learning outcome

Knowledge about and ability to interpret conventions, laws and policies on agricultural genetic resources, including property rights, access, exchange and sharing of benefits arising from commercial use of such resources.

Insights in the practical significance of the international laws and policies at the local level.

The student shall acquire ability to critically analyze questions pertaining to genetic resources based on their properties, historical role and place in society today.

  • Lectures, seminars, excursions and assignments
  • Seminars and discussions, particularly in connection with the assignments.
  • General knowledge about biodiversity and the use of biodiversity in agriculture.
  • Final oral exam counts for 100 % of the grade. Exam in English only. Grades A-F.
  • External examiner will be used for the final oral exam..
  • Participation in seminars and submission of weekly assignments
  • Noragric reserves the right to cancel the course if there are less than 10 students registered for the course at course start.
  • Four weeks with two days of combined lectures/seminars, one compulsory assignment, and one day of seminar (reviewing and discussing the week's assignment).
  • -
  • Passed / Not Passed
  • A bachelor degree in a relevant academic field