The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV & FRA) has called for Plant Genome Savior Community Award for the year 2013-14. PPV & FRA has been established by the Central Government under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001. The Authority grants exclusive rights to the breeders and farmers who have bred, evolved or developed any variety.
The PPV & FRA has instituted Plant Genome Savior Community Award. The Authority confers the award annually on the basis of shortlisting and site verification of the applications received from the community of farmers or farming community based organizations who have a long track record for conserving plant agro-biodiversity.
Applications are now invited for the award, which is open to all Indian group of farmers, community of farmers, particularly the tribal and rural communities engaged in conservation, improvement and preservation of genetic resources of economic plants and their wild relatives particularly in the areas identified as agro bio-diversity hotspots. There shall be maximum of five awards in a year, consisting of a cash of rupees ten lakh each, a citation and a memento. The last date for submission of the application is December 27, 2014.
The Authority also invites applications for the Plant Genome Savior "Farmer Reward" & "Farmer Recognition" from the farmers engaged in the conservation of genetic resources of landraces and wild relatives of economic plants and their improvement through selection and preservation and the material so selected and preserved has been used as donors of gene in varieties registerable under the PPV&FR Act, 2001 (53 of 2001).
There shall be maximum of 10 rewards (comprising of citation, memento and cash of Rs One lakh each) and 20 recognitions (consisting of a citation and memento) in a year. It is essential for the applicants to forward their application through chairperson or secretary of the concerned panchayat biodiversity management committee or concerned district Agricultural Officer or Director of Research of concerned State Agriculture University or concerned District Tribal Development Office. Farmers whose applications are shortlisted for Reward and Recognition shall be required to deposit specified quantity of seeds or propagating material, which will be communicated later.
