Implications of WTO on Agriculture*

Abstract

The Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) drawn up when the World Trade Organization came into force six years ago in 1 January 1995 is inequitable and heavily loaded in favour of developed countries. Though the developing countries expected to gain handsomely from the multilateral trade agreement in agricultural products, they have hardly anything to cheer about. The government should, in the next Ministerial Conference in Doha impress upon the developed countries the need to rewrite certain clauses of the AoA to make it fair and non-discriminatory which is the spirit of WTO. The three Bills - the Indian Patents Act, 1970 (Second Amendment) Bill 1999, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Bill 2000, and Biological Diversity Bill 2000- which are with the Joint Members of the Parliament for their suitable recommendations in conformation to TRIPS Agreement should be passed as early as possible so that we do not fall behind in the competition with the rest of the countries. As it is, the foreign countrymen are depriving us of our bio-wealth by patenting our

rich biodiversity.