Explainer: ARIPO’s role in Plant Variety Protection

Africa’s agricultural future is imperative to life and prosperity in the region—and the Arusha Protocol gives breeders the protection they need, explains the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization.

Despite the global commitment to eliminate hunger under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), progress remains stagnant. Recent UN reports estimate that 600 million people—predominantly in Africa and Asia—will suffer from severe hunger by 2030.

For Africa, where hunger, poverty, and inequality are central development challenges, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 affirms the vision of “a high standard of living, quality of life, and well-being for all citizens.”

Food security is, therefore, not only a humanitarian imperative but a strategic priority. A sustainable solution lies in agricultural innovation, where Plant Variety Protection (PVP) plays a pivotal role.

The basics

How can Africa contribute to eliminating food insecurity for its people and to the sufficiency of other continents across the globe?

According to the African Development Bank Group’s “Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa, 2016–2025”, Africa holds 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land. Africa, with its vast arable lands, enabling climatic conditions and youthful population, has the potential to ensure food security for its people and play a crucial role in the global food system.

However, continued degradation of plant species and soil, exacerbated by climate change and pests, threatens yields and biodiversity. PVP provides an incentive mechanism for breeders to develop resilient, high-yielding plant varieties, critical for improving productivity, combating hunger, and ensuring sustainable agriculture.

To address these challenges and ensure food security, more research and development are needed to develop innovative agricultural solutions. The use of PVP as an incentive for breeders of new varieties has become more crucial than ever.

PVP involves the protection of breeders’ rights and applies to all plant genera and species. It allows farmers to access a wide range of improved varieties to contribute to the attainment of food security and economic development.

How it works

Recognising the strategic importance of PVP, African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Member States adopted the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants in July 2015 at a Diplomatic Conference in Arusha, Tanzania. The protocol aims to:

• Establish a harmonised regional framework for granting and protecting Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBRs).
• Facilitate regional registration of plant varieties through a single, cost-effective system.
• Align ARIPO’s system with international best practices, particularly the UPOV 1991 Convention.

The protocol came into force in November 2024 after receiving the requisite number of ratifications. Under this protocol, breeders can apply for protection across multiple Member States through one application filed at ARIPO, simplifying access to larger markets and legal certainty.

The Arusha Protocol is a catalyst for agricultural transformation. It provides legal assurance and financial incentives for plant breeders, enabling access to improved, protected varieties that farmers can adopt to enhance productivity and resilience.

“Provision for plant breeders’ rights in the region will allow farmers access to a wide range of improved varieties to contribute to the attainment of the regional goal of economic development and food security”, as stated in the Arusha Protocol. Plant breeders can therefore register their new plant varieties through the ARIPO regional system.

Undoubtedly, the Arusha Protocol envisions creating a harmonised regional legal mechanism to protect plant breeders’ rights (PBRs) in the ARIPO Member States.

The protocol is aligned with the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of 1991 (UPOV 1991). ARIPO joined the UPOV PRISMA in June 2025, enabling online filing of PVP applications. Through this collaboration, applicants will benefit from a more efficient, secure, and transparent online application process under the Arusha Protocol.

Real-world applications

Global statistics collected by UPOV demonstrate that the introduction of PVP systems has significantly increased the development and commercialisation of new plant varieties. For example, countries implementing UPOV-aligned systems have seen innovation across:

• Staple crops: barley, maize, wheat, rice, soybeans
• Horticultural crops: roses, pears, Chinese cabbage
• Traditional flowers: peony, magnolia, camellia in China)
• Indigenous species: magnolia, peony, ginseng in the Republic of Korea

Africa can mirror this success by fully operationalising the Arusha Protocol. Early adoption and implementation at the national level will accelerate regional innovation and competitiveness in agriculture.

Benefits and challenges

PVP is a form of intellectual property right that provides exclusive commercial rights to breeders of new plant varieties. These rights compensate innovation costs, encourage R&D, and attract investment.

Key benefits of the Arusha Protocol’s implementation include:

• Economic Growth: Agriculture contributes about 35% to Africa’s GDP; PVP can enhance this by increasing productivity and adding value to supply chains.
• Innovation and Investment: Strong PVP frameworks enhance Africa’s innovation index, attracting both public and private sector R&D investment.
• Poverty Reduction: Improved crop varieties increase yields, income, and employment in rural communities.

However, challenges such as limited technical capacity, resource constraints, and low public awareness hinder widespread implementation. ARIPO addresses these through capacity-building programs, partnerships with UPOV and other stakeholders, and the development of national legal and institutional frameworks in its Member States.

What’s next?

With the Arusha Protocol now in force, ARIPO is accelerating efforts to engage Member States in domesticating and ratifying the protocol.

The protocol’s effective implementation will demonstrate how IP systems can be leveraged for development, improving food security, generating employment, and driving innovation in agriculture.

Implementing PVP in other jurisdictions has proven to be beneficial to the ordinary innovative farmer and the economy as a whole. As Africa works towards attaining the set goals for Agenda 2063 to, among other things, end hunger and reduce poverty, PVP  as an IPR must be included in the strategy.

Takeaways

The Arusha Protocol is a significant legal instrument aimed at harmonising and PVP across ARIPO Member States. It provides for regional PVP registration, which expands market access for breeders and facilitates technology transfer.

Farmers and breeders will benefit from a wider selection of high-quality, improved plant varieties. The efforts made by ARIPO in capacity building, policy harmonisation, and stakeholder engagement are crucial for realising the full potential of the protocol.

ARIPO is pleased to announce that the Arusha Protocol came into effect in November 2024, following the ratification by four of its Member States Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cape Verde and Ghana. This development offers farmers and breeders substantial advantages through ARIPO's extensive territorial coverage, streamlined registration system, and easy access to a variety of improved plant species. These resources are essential for achieving food security and economic development in the region.

Committed to supporting the adoption and implementation of the Arusha Protocol, ARIPO has conducted numerous regional capacity-building activities in previous years, with more planned for 2025 and beyond. The entry into force of the Arusha Protocol marks a major milestone, and it promises to enhance the efficiency of the registration process and improve access to better plant varieties, which will ultimately support regional food security and economic growth.

Further reading

To understand more about Plant Variety Protection, visit https://aripo.org/ip-services/plant-variety-protection

Author

ARIPO is an intergovernmental organisation that facilitates cooperation among its Member States in intellectual property matters.

The purpose of ARIPO is to pool resources for the promotion, development, and harmonisation of the IP laws and policies of ARIPO Member States. The objective of ARIPO, among others, is to establish standard services and organs for IP coordination, development and harmonisation.

The Member States of ARIPO comprise Botswana, The Kingdom of Eswatini, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, The Kingdom of Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

You can read more about ARIPO at www.aripo.org