Sebastian Derwisch

Stilling: stipendiat

Telefon:

Mobiltelefon: na

E-post: Sebastian.Derwisch@geog.uib.no

Besøksadresse: Fosswinckelsgt. 6

Assessing the Impact of Intellectual Property Rights on Seed Market Development in African Countries

The project assesses the impacts of Intellectual Property Management on the price and the availability of improved seed varieties for smallholder farmers in West Africa and designs Intellectual Property (IP) strategies that support the public and the private sector in building capacity for the development of new varieties. The IP strategies facilitate partnerships between the public and the private sector as well as private sector development and thus support the development of more productive farm inputs and increased food production.

The project builds on two major analytical approaches:

·        Value chain analysis: The analysis of the seed value chain identifies physical and capacity constraints for every stage of the seed production. It shows how these constraints result from lack of technology transfer from developed to developing countries, limited access to proprietary materials by the national public and private sector, limited appropriability of outcomes of variety development by the national private sector, and high transaction costs between actors of the private sector.

·        System Dynamics modelling: The system dynamics approach allows establishing maps that show the causal relationships between IP and the seed value chain. Computer simulation quantifies these relationships and supports policy analysis design. System dynamics focuses on the dynamic aspect of IP and the seed value chain, i.e. it considers the development of the agricultural input industry and of the agricultural production over time and analyses how delays, non-linear relationships and feedback loops arising from multiple sources of causation might generate unanticipated behaviour and resistance to well-intentioned policies.

The project bridges the gap between the existing economic oriented research on research and development in the agricultural sector and the specific Intellectual Property work that addresses economic issues only marginally.

The analysis comprises the entire seed value chain and contributes to the development of IP strategies for public as well as private sector actors in the chain. The project generates simulation models that are used for impact assessment and for knowledge transfer. The use of computer simulation contributes to an effective and efficient use of scarce resources as it helps identifying unanticipated consequences of IP strategies.

 

Publikasjoner i Cristin

• Kopainsky B., Tröger K., Derwisch S., Ulli-Beer S.: Combining System Dynamics and Conjoint Analysis for the Design of Sustainable Policies to Increase Food Security in Sub-Saharan Countries. in preparation 
• Derwisch S., Kopainsky B. 2011: Foreign Direct Investment and Spillover in Seed Sector Development - An Assessment of the Impacts of Intellectual Property Rights. under revision in African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development
• Derwisch S., Kopainsky B. 2010: Dynamics of enforcement and infringement of Intellectual Property Rights and Implications for the incentive function. Conference paper International System Dynamics Conference, Seoul
• Derwisch S., Kopainsky B., V. Henson-Apollonio, 2010: Foreign Direct Investment, Spillovers and the Impact of Intellectual Property Rights in the Seed Sector. Conference paper 4^th International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
•  Derwisch, S., Schwendenmann, L., Olschewski, R., Hölscher, D., 2009 Estimation and economic evaluation of aboveground carbon storage of tectona grandis plantations in western panama. New Forests Vol 37, Nr 3
• G. H. Teh, S. Derwisch, V. Henson-Apollonio, P. Bloch, 2009: Potential Impact of U.S.-Based Seed Company Competition on Access to Seed in the Developing Country Context. Working paper for the CAS-IP-CGIAR http://www.cas-ip.org/publications-impact-of-seed-company-competition-on-access/, submission to the Department of Justice of the USA
• Kopainsky B., Derwisch S., 2009: Model-based exploration of strategies for fostering adoption of improved seed in West Africa. Conference paper International System Dynamics Conference, Athens
• Derwisch S., Kopainsky B., 2009: Foreign Direct Investment and Spillovers in Seed Sector Development – Towards an Assessment of the Impacts of Intellectual Property Rights. Conference paper International System Dynamics Conference, Athens
• Derwisch S., Kopainsky B. Pöhlmann S., 2008: Making the value chain work – analysing the impact of Intellectual Asset and Property Management for seed sector development in West Africa. International System Dynamics Conference, Athens
• Derwisch S., Kopainsky B., 2007: Modelling Innovation in Agriculture - How can Intellectual Property management support the process of economic development. Conference paper International System Dynamics Conference, Boston

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in the agricultural context: Identification of the factors that influence the value of IPR such as Plant Variety Protection and Patents in the agricultural context. Identification of the conditions under which these IPR can be enforced and of the characteristics of effective enforcement.

Research and Development (R&D) of new varieties: Identification of the processes and factors that determine investment in variety development and therefore the number of varieties that are developed by the public and private sector.

Model based estimations of Private sector development: Analysis of the relationships between IPR, innovation, production and growth of a seed sector. Analysis of the role of IPR for competitiveness and thus the number of domestic seed companies operating in a sustainable way.

Development of simulation based farmer adoption scenarios: Identification of conditions that stimulate the adoption of new varieties by farmers in general and smallholder farmers in specific.