Intellectual property protections of genetically modified organisms: Implications for technology transfers

This chapter examines intellectual property protections of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Specifically, I consider how country differences in intellectual property rights (IPRs) affect transfers of GMO technologies both within and across countries. While country-level research on IPRs and technology transfers is located prominently in the International Economics literature, research on GMOs is in the Agricultural Economics literature. These literatures have evolved independently with few linkages. Thus, I begin by identifying stylized facts from these literatures, and consider the implications of these stylized facts for GMO adopting countries. Second, I examine country-level data on GMO land use, trade, regulations, and IPRs to identify patterns of economic behavior consistent (or inconsistent) with the stylized facts. Third, I develop a framework that characterizes transfers of GMO technologies both within and across countries which differ in their strength of IPRs. This framework accounts for the unique characteristics of the GMO technology including self-replication and diffusion of the technology by acts of nature.