Norm conflicts as governance challenges for Seed Commons

Comparing cases from Germany and the Philippines

Bibliographic Data

ID13129043
AuthorsJulia Tschersich (0000-0002-1803-6736, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume7
Pages100097-100097
Publication date2021-02-21
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEarth System Governance (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2589-8116 • E-ISSN: 2589-8116
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.esg.2021.100097
OpenAlexW3131719316
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited54

A Seed Commons approach can help to highlight the common struggle of diverse seed initiatives in the Global North and South in light of the dominant pathway of enclosure and commodification of seeds that threatens food sovereignty and cultivated plant-genetic diversity. In this paper, the Seed Commons framework is applied to show how the conflicting norms and rules of the international regime complex surrounding seeds shape the scope of action for Seed Commons in Germany and the Philippines. The analysis shows that the patent and variety protection regimes have strongly influenced the design of national seed marketing and threaten to outlaw practices of Seed Commons. Despite limited practical impact for Seed Commons initiatives (so far), the norms of the Nagoya Protocol and the Seed Treaty have contributed to exceptions in national seed marketing law that provide essential scope of action for Seed Commons initiatives in Europe and the Philippines

Agriculture · Biology · Business · Collective action · Commodification · Common-pool resource · Commons · Corporate governance · Economics · Economy · Food security · Food sovereignty · Global commons · Law and economics · Political science · Scope (computer science · Sovereignty · Treaty · Agriculture, Land Use, Rural Development · CRISPR and Genetic Engineering · Genetically Modified Organisms Research · Law · Ecology