WIPO, WTO launch new initiative

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KATHMANDU, June 15 - The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and World Trade Organization (WTO) launched a new initiative Thursday to help least-developed countries maximize the benefits of intellectual property protection.

According to a press release received here today, the joint initiative was simply an expression of commitment to least-developed countries. From integration to participation, national ownership of intellectual property protection is crucial in assisting poor countries. Intellectual property is a tool for technological advancement, economic growth and wealth creation for all nations, especially for least-developed countries, the release states.

Least-developed countries by 1 January 2006, will have to comply with the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs Agreement). They have to bring their laws on copyright, patents, trademarks and other areas of intellectual property into line with the TRIPs Agreement. They also have to provide ways of enforcing the laws effectively, in order to deal with piracy, counterfeiting and other forms of intellectual property infringement, says the release.

Ambassadors representing least-developed countries welcomed the initiative as further evidence that both organizations are more committed to help the world’s poorest countries, according to the release.

The joint initiative builds on existing cooperation between WIPO and WTO and on each organization’s own technical assistance programs. It is also similar to a joint WIPO-WTO project launched in 1998 to help all developing countries, particularly those that are not least developed, which had to comply with the TRIPs Agreement by 2000, the release says.

The technical assistance available under the joint initiative includes cooperation on preparing legislation, training, institution-building, modernizing intellectual property systems and enforcement. Of the 49 countries defined by the UN as least developed, 30 are members of the WTO (another six are negotiating WTO membership) and 41 are members of WIPO. All least-developed countries can participate in the technical assistance offered; they do not need to be WIPO or WTO members, the release says.

The joint initiative envisages assistance in two phases. In the first phase, two regional workshops will be organized in 2002, one for sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti, and the other for the Asia-Pacific region. In the second phase, assistance provided will focus on action plans specific to individual countries, the release concludes.

Low market price mars peasants’ toil

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BHAKTAPUR, June 15 - Be it the dawn or the dusk, Tuyunani is seen in her kitchen garden. She engages herself either watering, spreading fertilizers or pruning green vegetables. After all, growing green vegetables is the sole source of her sustenance. Besides Tuyunani, other family members also spend most of their time in the little farm. Even her small daughter joins her in work as soon as she returns from school.

Visiting any household here, one would invariably see a striking semblance among the households here. Fields with lush-green vegetables surround each household. Selling the vegetables in Kathmandu is what these villagers have been doing for years.

Many might have seen the vegetables that grow hardly 15 kilometers away from the Capital, but only a few might have understood the latest plight of the farmers here. Stiff competition and low returns is what has plagued the poor farmers lately.

"It’s hardly enough to run my house for four days following a week long work," laments Tuyunani, as she continues with her job in the field. "But I can do nothing, for I have no other source of income."

Unfortunately, one reason for their plight is their inability to commercialize agriculture. Their ignorance is well reflected when one asks the input costs in growing vegetables. The input costs are high, but they do not know how much. And they do not undertake mind-wracking calculations determining the sales price of their produce. It is the intermediaries who fix the prices, and reap the lion’s share of the profits.

Farmers are afraid that their produce would rot if it is not disposed immediately. And this is exactly where the intermediaries have capitalized on. "What do we do if our produce goes down the drain the next day ?" questions Ram Shrestha, another vegetable farmer, as he stands by the roadside waiting for intermediaries to come looking for his vegetables.

Farmers are not sophisticated. They do not compare the returns they got last year, to what they are getting this year. Their concern is on the extent to which their produce goes in waste. "A lot of vegetables that I grew, rot this year. And I could do nothing," says Kanchhi Maya.

If one wants to analyze the extent to which the intermediaries exploit farmers, one would only need to compare the prices that these farmers get with the market price of their produce. The price of cabbage here presently is Rs 2 per kg, in the market it is Rs 8. More or less, there’s the same difference in prices of other vegetables, too.

The market price of vegetables this year has fallen considerably as compared to that of the last year. And the reason, among others, why prices went down is excess production in this area, at the benefit of the intermediaries.

Other cause of the fall in prices is the current phase through which the country is going, both politically and climatically. At the political front, a lot of changes have taken place giving rise to a situation of uncertainty and confusion. Such a situation might lead to a rise in prices within the Kathmandu City, but not in favor of the poor farmers. In addition, the hailstorm of the last month has also done considerable damage to some farmers.

It is not that farmers are not aware of the high profit margins that intermediaries are enjoying, however, all cannot themselves afford to go to the Capital and sell in the local markets. "What do we do? Go to the fields or to the markets ?" asks Tuyunani. If some do take the challenge, there is no guarantee that they would sell out, which in fact would double their problems.

Lately, prices of fertilizers, labor, transportation and seeds, among others, have all gone up. "Prices of all things have increased. Why not vegetables," says Tez Krishna Prajapati, pointing to his green vegetables on the fields.

LPG dealers’ meet held

KATHMANDU, June 15 (PR) - In the initiation of Department of Commerce (DOC), a meeting among various parties engaged in the supply and distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) was held today.

According to a DOC press release issued here today, Krishna Hari Basnet, executive Director of the department, speaking on the occasion urged the LPG industries to maintain regular supplies of the LPG. Stressing upon the need of commitment from every sector engaged in the supply of LPG, he also requested retailers to maintain updated records of their consumers.

Prune P. Manandhar, Director General of Nepal Bureau of Standard and Metrology opined that all LPG industries and retailers should follow code of conduct.

Madan Raj Sharma, Executive Director of Nepal Oil Corporation informed the gathering that with an aim to ensure regular supply of LPG, the Corporation is building its own LPG storage in Janakpur.

The meeting was attended by all the major gas industries of the country including representative of Consumer forum Nepal.

Airbus- Tenzing agreement

KATHMANDU, June 15 (PR) - Airbus and Tenzing Communication of USA have recently signed an agreement to launch strategic partnership to offer in-flight e-mail and internet access to airline passengers today.

According to a press release issued by the Airbus Press Office today, as per the agreement, Airbus is acquiring a 30 per cent share of the project, which is expected to cost US $ 148 million.

The company expects that the services in flight would be highly valued in the world, particularly among the frequent business travelers.