1. INTRODUCTION

The Panel recognizes that its mandate is not to offer advice on whether or not the CGIAR ought to increase its use of proprietary technology or of biotechnology in general, nor is it to judge whether the current proliferation of intellectual property claim is beneficial or detrimental to the ultimate aims of the CGIAR. However, the Panel holds a range of views on these matters, and the various interpretations by different Panel members of the relationship of the CGIAR mandate to intellectual property and to biotechnology yield differing emphases with regard to recommendations about how the CGIAR ought to deal with intellectual property issues in agriculture. While some Panel members believe that the CGIAR can further its mission by helping to “break the taboo” against the use of intellectual property by public institutions, others feel equally strongly that the CGIAR’s mission would be better served pointing out the dangers of the increasing use of intellectual property to the poor, and to the ability of public and other institutions to cany out and deliver research that will benefit the poor

In spite of this wide divergence of views, the Panel has been able to reach consensus on a number of general points and practical conclusions.