Los Baños, The Philippines
October 26, 2006
After being given an important new
role by the rice-producing nations of Asia to support the free
flow of rice research and knowledge, the
International Rice Research
Institute has announced an important change in its copyright
policy
After being given an important new
role by the rice-producing nations of Asia to support the free
flow of rice research and knowledge, the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) has announced an important change in
its copyright policy.
Taking a leaf out of the software industry's book, the
Philippines-based Institute has announced that it will change
its information copyright policy from the original "all rights
reserved." Effectively echoing the software industry's
open-source movement, others will now be able to use IRRI's
intellectual property provided they do not place restrictions on
its use by anyone else.
The practical change will not be great--IRRI previously offered
relatively free use of its information to other parties. The
major difference now is that users need not ask permission. The
change is also symbolic, representing the Institute's goal of
promoting the free exchange of ideas and information.
IRRI's decision follows the release of the Delhi Declaration on
Rice by the Ministerial Roundtable at the International Rice
Congress (IRC) in Delhi (9-13 October), wherein the Institute
was asked to "host a task force … to prepare a road map" that
would help achieve the main objectives of the declaration, which
include a plan "to establish a comprehensive partnership among
the participants through strengthened dialogue on a regular
basis for strengthening rice research and development efforts."
"We were already preparing to change our copyright policy when
the Ministerial Roundtable asked us to host the task force and
facilitate the continued exchange of rice research and
information in Asia--we're honored to be asked to play such an
important role," IRRI Director General Robert S. Zeigler said.
"Both decisions also fit very well with goal four of IRRI's new
Strategic Plan, Bringing Hope, Improving Lives, to provide
equitable access to information and knowledge on rice and help
develop the next generation of rice scientists."
Announcing the new Strategic Plan at the opening of the IRC on 9
October, Dr. Zeigler said: "Asia needs to invest more in
agriculture, and especially agricultural and rice research.
Without new ideas and technologies, each country's rice industry
will stagnate and hold back the rest of the country."
The full text of the Delhi Declaration follows, while IRRI's new
Strategic Plan can be downloaded from the Web at
www.irri.org/BringingHope/ImprovingLives.pdf.
THE DELHI DECLARATION ON RICE
Confirming the spirit of the Beijing Declaration on rice issued
after the First International Rice Congress held in China on
Sunday, 15 September 2002, and
Confirming our commitment to intellectual property rights as per
the World Trade Organization's stipulations and provisions,
including indigenously developed and improved varieties of rice;
Stressing the strategic importance of the Asian nations in the
production of rice and moved by the will to give their future
thrusts a new dimension, based on comprehensive cooperation, in
keeping with the privileged nature of the links forged by
neighborhood and history;
Aware that farmers are facing the challenge of producing more
rice at less cost in a deteriorating environment and rice
research and development needs to address the Millennium
Development Goals on poverty alleviation, food and nutritional
security, and environmental conservation in a partnership mode;
Resolve to establish to that end a multilateral framework based
on a spirit of partnership; Regarding this multilateral
framework as the counterpart to a strengthening of bilateral
relations which it is important to safeguard, while stressing
their specific nature; Stressing that this initiative is not
intended to replace the other activities and initiatives
undertaken in the interests of the peace, prosperity, stability,
and development of the region, but that it will contribute to
their success; Hereby agree to establish a comprehensive
partnership among the participants through strengthened dialogue
on a regular basis for strengthening rice research and
development efforts laying greater emphasis on the social,
cultural, and human dimensions and that the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) would host a task force comprising
experts from all the countries and centers of excellence in the
area to prepare a road map for the purpose.
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the
world's leading rice research and training center. Based in the
Philippines and with offices in 10 other Asian countries, it is
an autonomous, nonprofit institution focused on improving the
well-being of present and future generations of rice farmers and
consumers, particularly those with low incomes, while preserving
natural resources. IRRI is one of 15 centers funded through the
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
(CGIAR), an association of public and private donor agencies.
Please visit the CGIAR website (www.cgiar.org)
for more information.
Web sites:
IRRI Home (www.irri.org)
IRRI Library (http://ricelib.irri.org)
Rice Knowledge Bank (www.knowledgebank.irri.org) |