Analytical Study of International Regulations for the Protection of Plant Varieties and Species in Asian Countries and the Approaches Adopted by these Countries

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Master's student in International Trade Law, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran

2 Faculty member, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran

10.22091/diplic.2025.10830.1012

Abstract

With the increase in the population of the Earth, humanity is seeking to increase food production in various ways. The most important source of human food is related to the agricultural sector. Climate and geopolitical changes have limited the access of some countries to these abundant resources; therefore, governments, organizations and interested individuals have become more sensitive than ever to the preservation of agricultural resources. This has led to the emergence of laws to protect plant varieties and species at the international level, the main goal of which is to preserve the values ​​related to plant resources and reserves. On one hand, these laws have led to the neglect of the rights of farmers and local communities, and this problem is more evident in developing countries where agriculture is the responsibility of local communities than in other countries. On the other hand, it provides a suitable platform for supporting innovations in the field of agriculture. The aim of this research is to examine the laws and regulations protecting plant varieties and to find out what is the approach of the Asian countries, which are mainly developing and where agriculture is one of the most important economic sectors, towards international laws. In response, using library resources and a descriptive analytical method, we found that the approach of international documents, which was basically set under the influence of the situation in developed countries, is not applicable in developing countries and cannot create a compromise in developing countries between supporting local farmers on the one hand and supporting and encouraging innovative activities in the field of agriculture on the other.

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Main Subjects

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Insights of Intellectual Property Law in Islamic Countries
Volume 1, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
September 2025
Pages 23-49

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