Allaying fears expressed by activists about potential risks to food security from the Indo-US deal on farm sector, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today said the pact will benefit both the economies through collaborations in the emerging field of research and education.

“We are happy about the deal,” he said on the sidelines of an ICAR function here.

The minister made it clear that there was nothing to worry about the ‘US-Indian Knowledge Inititative’ on agriculture, as the deal was based on a ‘win-win’ proposition for both the economies.

“The deal will particularly benefit biotechnology and other research sectors in agricultural sciences,” he said.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research director general Mangala Rai clarified that there was no agreement under the deal to allow access to the country’s indigenous gene pool.

He also said the issues related to Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) during the collaborative period would be decided on a mutual basis.

The ICAR DG also said currently matters relating to funding obligations by the two sides was being worked out for various research programmes.

A sum of Rs five crore had already been sanctioned as a step towards the Initiative in 2006-07, he added.

He expressed confidence that the deal would benefit both sides in the emerging field of agricultural research. PTI

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