This document discusses ethics and intellectual property rights in agricultural research. It covers key concepts like ethics, principles of ethics like informed consent and confidentiality. It discusses policies on research ethics to promote ethical practices and protect participants. It identifies ethical issues in research design, sampling, data collection etc. Intellectual property rights like patents, copyrights, plant breeder rights, trademarks, geographical indications, and trade secrets are explained. Examples of controversies around patents on turmeric, neem and basmati rice are provided. Research studies on geographical indications and their marketing are summarized.

1. LOGO
Ethics in social sciEncE and iPR
in agRicultuRE.
Vijaylaxmi . B Somanatti
M.Sc in agril. Extension
UAS, dharwad -05

2. contEnts
Introduction
Concept of ethics
Principles of ethics
Policies on ethics
Ethical issues in research
IPR issues
Research studies
Conclusion

3. The term ethics derives from
the Greek word ethos,
meaning “character.”
According to Denscombe
(2002), “ethics concern what
‘ought’ to be done, they are a
matter of principled sensitivity
to the rights of others”

4. Core principles of research
ethics :
‘Do no harm’
Informed consent
Protection of anonymity and
Confidentiality
-Denscombe (2002)

5. Policies on research ethics
1 Enable researchers to
 enhance their capability to undertake ethical research
 maintain their independence, especially when confronted
with undue influence or pressure which may compromise their
integrity .
2. Serve as a basis for policymakers and to provide an enabling
environment for the practice of ethical research
3. Provide an additional resource for the teaching and training of
students in research and ethical practice
4. Discourage unethical research practice

6. 5. Make ethics an integral part of the planning and methodology
of research
6. Preserve and promote the autonomy, quality, legitimacy and
credibility of research
7. Protect and promote the rights of research participants and
honor their trust in researchers and research
8. Strengthen the research ethics review system in the University
where research involves human participants, animals, data,
institutions or other living or genetically modified organisms

7. Ethical issuEs within thE REsEaRch
REsEaRch dEsign: Researchers must
acknowledge that, when experimental designs are adopted,
some participants may act as controls and so not receive a
potentially beneficial intervention.
samPlE: The size of the sample must therefore be
considered and justified to ensure that it is sufficient to
provide valid and generalisable results.

8. Contd…
data collEction: The design will determine the
methods of data collection to be used; these must be clearly
described. A number of ethical problems can arise in determining
data collection techniques. Ex. covert methods of data collection
(e.g. participant observation); this should be used only where
data cannot be collected in any other way.
 unfoREsEEn nEEds: Clear plans must be in place to
address particular needs that may arise during the course of any
research but which may lie outside the researcher’s knowledge,
skills or expertise, bearing in mind the need for confidentiality.

9. Ethical issues in social science research
Consent: The prospective research participants must be fully
informed about the procedures and risks involved in research and
must give their consent to participate.
Risk of harm:Ethical standards also require that researchers not put
participants in a situation where they might be at risk of harm as a
result of their participation. Harm can be defined as both physical
and psychological.
Confidentiality: Almost all research guarantees the
participants confidentiality -- they are assured that identifying
information will not be made available to anyone who is not directly
involved in the study.

10. Anonymity : anonymity which essentially means that the
participant will remain anonymous throughout the study -- even
to the researchers themselves. Clearly, the anonymity standard is
a stronger guarantee of privacy, but it is sometimes difficult to
accomplish, especially in situations where participants have to be
measured at multiple time points (e.g., a pre-post study).
Authorization:: It should be based on the quantum of
contribution made interms of ideas, conceptualization actual
performance of the research analysis and writing of the report or
any publication based on the research. Also whose contribution
is made the conduct and completion of research or publication
possible should be properly acknowledged.

11. Contd…
Integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong
moral principle in conducting the research. The researcher
should ensure that there is honest and transparency at every
stage of research.
Data security: As the technology advancement now-a-
days it is difficult to protect the data. Ensuring
confidentiality of research data becomes crucial in relation
to data processing and release and measures to ensure data
privacy have to be implemented as part of the data
processing. The materials used in socio-economic research
is predominantly protected by IPR such as copyright, data
base and software protection

13. Intellectual property rights:
Intellectual property rights
(IPRs) “Legal rights
established over creative or
inventive ideas”.
IPRs allow right holders to
exclude the unauthorized
commercial use of their
creations/inventions by third
persons. The rationale for
the establishment of a legal
framework on IPRs is that it
is a signal to society that
creative and inventive ideas
will be rewarded.

14. Patent
Design Registration
Trademark /
Service Marks
Copyright
Layout Design for
Integrated Circuits
Trade Secrets
Protection of
Plant Varieties
Geographical
Indications

15. IPRs RELEVANT TO
AGRICULTURE:
Patents
CoPy rights
Plant Breeders’ rights,
trademarks
geograPhiCal
indiCations
 trade seCrets.

16. PATENTS
Patent is exclusive
monopoly right granted by
the government for a new
invention to an inventor
for his disclosed invention
for a limited period of
time

17. CRITERIA’S TO BE A
PATENT.
1. New – not be publicly known in any way,
anywhere in the world. Owners of
inventions should be careful to keep the
invention secret until a patent application
has been successfully made.
2. Inventive step – something that represents
an improvement over any existing product
or process that is already available.
3. Industrial application – useful and have
some form of practical application. It should
be capable of being made or used in some
form of

18. Generally not Patentable
Discoveries
Mathematical Models
ScientificTheories
Schemes
Rules
Playing games
Method of Business
Programmes for computers
Presentation of Information

19. ADVANTAGES OF PANTENTS
 Protection to the patentee, enabling him to enjoy the right
and to raise the capital for working his invention on a
commercial scale.
The patentee would be able to make a profitable use of his
invention by selling his patent or by granting license to
others, permitting the use of his invention.
Helps for industrial growth by introducing new
technologies.
The scientific knowledge contained in the patent
specification helps as a stepping stone for further research.
Provide inventive and creative ideas for further R & D in
the field.

20. COPYRIGHTS "©"
“ Exclusive and assignable
legal right, given to the
originator for a fixed number of
years, to print, publish, perform,
film, or record literary, artistic,
or musical material.”
Ex: compact discs, cassettes or
videotapes, cable or satellite

21. Copyright
Literary works
Dramatic works
Musical works
Artistic works
Cinematographic
Sound recording
Computer programmes

22. Advantages :
Protects work against unauthorized reproduction, even
though the work has been "published”.
 Statutory damages and attorneys fees available as
sanctions against persons who infringe registered
copyrights, if registered within three months of publication.
To reproduce the work in any material form including the
storing of it in any medium by electronic means
To issue copies of the work to the public not being copies
already in publication
To sell or give on hire, or offer for sale or hire a copy
regardless of whether such copy has been sold or given on
hire on earlier occasions

23. Plant breeder’s right .
Rights granted to the breeder of a new
variety of plant that give the breeder
exclusive control over the propagating
material and harvested material of a
new variety for a number of years.
In order to qualify for these exclusive
rights, a variety must be new, distinct,
uniform and stable.
PBRs are granted by national offices,
after examination. exclusive rights are
granted for a period of 20 years.
Annual renewal fees are required to
maintain the rights.

24. BENEFITS:
PBR protection allows you to exclude others from:
producing or reproducing the material
conditioning the material for the purpose of propagation
offering the material for sale
selling the material
importing the material
exporting the material
stocking the material for any of the purposes described
above

25. TRADE MARKS
Recognizable sign, design or expression which identifies
products or services of a particular source from others. The
trademark owner can be an individual, business organization,
or any legal entity.
Typically a name, word, phrase, logo, symbol, design, image,
or a combination of these elements.
Trademarks are used to claim exclusive properties of products
or services.
The usage of trademarks by its owner can cause legal issues if
this usage makes them guilty of false advertising or if the
trademark is offensive. Trademarks can be owned, but also
licensed.

26. Trademark symbols
™ - unregistered trademark, a mark used to
promote or brand goods
℠ - unregistered service mark, a mark used
to promote or brand services
® - for a registered trademark

27. GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
A geographical
indication (GI) is a
sign used on products
that have a specific
geographical origin
and possess qualities
or a reputation that
are due to that origin.

28. Geographical Indicatons
More often inAgriculture
Country or to a place situated therein being a place of
origin of the product
Darjaling tea
Coorg Coffee,
 Mysore Silk ,ChannapatnaToys & Dolls

29. BENEFITS
Confers legal protection to GIs in India.
Prevents unauthorized use of a GI by
others.
Helps consumers to get quality products of
desired brands.
Promotes economic prosperity of the
producers of goods.
Essential to get protection in other
countries.

30. TRADE SECRECTS
Protects businesses from the
unauthorized disclosure or use of
confidential information.
Confidential information includes
inventions not yet at the patenting
stage, ways of organizing business,
client lists, purchasing
specifications, and so on.
 In agriculture, breeders rely on
trade secrets to protect hybrid
plant varieties

31. Protection of trade secrets is not limited in time but, unlike
patents, the disadvantage of this type of protection is that it is
lost the moment it is discovered independently by a third
party.
 The advantage, at least to the proprietor, is that, unlike
patents, there is no obligation to disclose the inventive or
creative ideas to society.

32. How long does protection last?
 Patent 20 years
 Design 10 + 5 years
 Trade secret Until someone spills the
bean
 Copyright life of the author + 60
years
 Trademark As long as it is used

33. Click to add title
RESEARC
H
STUDIES

34. 1. Marketing flexibilities in Geographical
Indications (GI) and trademark: a
Comparative Study
- Anson C. J (2012)
Objective: To analyze what are the points that differentiates GI
and trademarks in marketing context and what are the barriers
in the GI marketing system.
Methodology: A semi structured questionnaire survey
conducted among producers and consumers of GI. The paper
examined different case studies from Kerala which includes
agriculture, textile and handicrafts (Secondary data).

35. Table .1
Geographical indication Trademark
1. It’s already there Created name
2. Not possible to change the name Easy to change
3. No scope of cognitive study Product cognitive study have importance
4. Perceived Quality appears Not quality assured
5. Only in that geographical area Produce everywhere like factory
6. It is GI Ready to eat concept - customizable
7. Only primary goal satisfaction in
purchase decision
Product line
8. Single product Market segmentation
9. Reputation of geographical area Reputation of firm
10. “Farm to fork” principle have only
limited scope
“Farm to fork” principle is possible

36. Problems In GI marketing the major issues
are:
 Marketing intermediaries
 Unorganized producers for marketing Geographical
asset
 There is no product standardization mechanism
 Production not on the basis of demand but on as a
routine
 Producers are not much more aware about value added
marketing
 Consumers are not aware about GI tag and its quality
 Attitude towards foreign goods are hitting regional
products

37. 2.The Protection of Geographical Indications in
India: Issues and Challenges
-Nitya et al (2013)
Methodology:
Survey conducted by TERI for three registered GI-
Banarsi sari, Malabar pepper and Bikaneri Bhujia, on the basis
of a standard questionnaire prepared especially for the purpose
with 60 respondents.

38. Major findings

39. Motivation factors for securing registered
user status

40. Results:
Among the respondents surveyed,
 21.43%- enhanced profit post registration.
 33 %- increase in product demand and led to revenue
increment
 17% - registration has led to decrease of duplicates and
enhanced brand value respectively.

41. 3.Geographical indications in Croatia
A case study of Virovitica pepper
-Marija et al (2006)

42. Producers’ familiarity with the GIs
regulation

43. Expected effects of the protected GIs

44. Producers’ willingness to participate in
the costs of protection

45. 4.Celebrated issues of patents
in india :
 Farmers will no longer be able to use these products without
paying royalties
 Consumers will also be deprived of cheap medicines
 Local communities should receive a share of the commercial
gains: after all — the argument goes — the companies owning
the patents learnt of the value of the species through local
knowledge, so they have a debt to repay.

46. Turmeric March 1995, two expatriate Indians
at the University of Mississippi
Medical Centre, Jackson, (Suman K
Das and Hari Har P. Cohly) were
granted a US patent.
CSIR filed a case with the USPatent
Office challenging patent on the
grounds of “prior art”, i.e. existing
public knowledge.
Why was the patent withdrawn?
The turmeric case failed to meet the
novelty criteria.

47. Neem : The Green Gold
Numerous neem products have received patents. Several of these
have been granted to Indian companies for a range of products
including a contraceptive ( National Institute of Immunology in
1993) and an environmentally safe pesticide (for Godrej Soaps in
1994).
Controversial patents granted to the US company WR Grace & Co.
1990 -improving the storage stability of neem seed extracts
containing azadirachtin
 1994 -storage of stable insecticidal composition comprising neem
seed extract.
Farmers protested that the patents would prevent them from using
neem as a source of home-made pesticide.

48. Contd..
Indian government filed a complaint to the US Patent Office
accusing WR Grace of copying an Indian invention.
 However, in the end, the government withdrew its complaint
as it realized that the US-based company had in fact created a
new invention for the neem extraction process, and the patent
was not based on traditional knowledge.
It is only these specific newly invented processes that are
covered by the patents. Farmers always have and will continue
to be free to use neem in any traditional way they desire.
The use of neem extract, or its seeds or leaves, cannot be
patented, since they have been used for centuries. Its properties
can only be patented if they are considerably modified.

49. Basmati THE FACTS:
Originally from India and
Pakistan, Basmati became a
controversial ‘issue’ after
RiceTec, a Texas-based company,
in 1997, patented some types of
rice they developed as
“American basmati”.
RiceTec Inc,- “Kasmati” and
“Texmati”.
The Indian government, after
putting together the evidence,
officially challenged the patent in
June 2000.

50. Threats
Indian farmers export $250 million in Basmati every year
and U.S. is a target market. RiceTec Inc. had attempted to
sell its long-grain rice in Europe .
 However, if the patent is not revoked, RiceTec Inc., can now
sell its rice under the brand name Basmati which will
definitely cut into India’s and Pakistan’s global market share,
especially as the rice grown in the US could be sold cheaper
than the Indian and Pakistani varieties.
Of 40 cases filed, India has been successful in winning 15
cases against countries like Britain, Australia, France, Spain,
Chile and UAE.

51. Moral of the issues
Many indigenous communities don’t have a written
tradition/culture, recognition ofTK through system of
IPR-difficult and complex.
It highlighted the advantages inherent in the recording of
traditional knowledge.

52. Socio-economics of protecting GIs: a case
analysis of the indian handloom sector
-Kasturi das (2009)
Sample : Random sample of 256 manufacturers of Nalgonda and
Warangal districts of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
‘Pochampally Handloom Weavers’ Co operative Society‐
Limited’ and ‘Pochampally Handloom Tie and Dye
Manufacturers’Association’. Registration was awarded by the
GI Registry on 31 December 2004.
Immediately after the registration, ‘Pochampally Ikat’ received
huge publicity in the media. The demand for ‘Pochampally
Ikat’ sarees increased by 15 20‐ %.

53. Growth rates of key parameters in
the Pochampally cluster
Parameters Growth rates in %
2004-05 2005-06 2004-06
Sales turnover 12.01 14.31 13.31
Productivity 4.35 5.88 4.67
Employment 1.25 1.66 1.40

54. Weavers’ incomes in the Pochampally cluster
Category of
weavers
Average monthly income of weavers in
rupees
2004 2005 2006
Silk weavers 2200 2500 2800
Cotton weavers 1200 1500 1850

55. CONCLUSION