INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY-RIGHTS AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN AGRICULTURE

This paper addresses the potential role and importance of an appropria te system of intellectual property rights in sustaining innovation and technological change in agriculture, a sector where the research and development process is typically cumulative in nature. The design and use of intellectual property rights as an economic incentive is illust rated by reference to Canada's new system of Plant Breeders' Rights, a nd by reference to recent economic research analyzing alternative desi gns for such a system.