Download the PDF by Richard Jefferson here. In this paper, Richard Jefferson of the Center for the Application of Molecular Biology in International Agriculture (CAMBIA) explains why "intellectual property is a legal regime that has become so stifling and restrictive that thousands of free-thinking programmers, scientists, designers, engineers, and scholars are desperate to find new ways to create."

CAMBIA, which is a play on words meaning "change" in Spanish and Italian, includes this information in their mission statement:

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Symptoms

Nutritional deficiencies, Food shortages, Crop failures, Population growth, Environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity These are often perceived as major problems facing the world today. In fact, these are only symptoms of the real problem.

Problem

The real problem lies with our way of interacting with the natural world. Agriculture is increasingly uncoupled from the environmental systems in which it operates. The available diversity - biological, genetic, ecosystem and social - has not been adequately embraced. The imagination and commitment of people and societies has not been sufficiently engaged in the process of innovation. This is not sustainable in the long term for environments or societies. Working towards a solution…

CAMBIA

CAMBIA a small institution can have a disproportionately large effect when its interventions are catalytic. CAMBIA does this through strategic design, development and delivery of new technologies, competencies and policies. Due in part to the cumbersome and expensive technologies available and the legal and policy umbrellas in which they act, transnational agri-business companies are increasingly centralising control and production of agriculture and are thus dominating the technology landscape. This has resulted in unprecedented public concerns over the new technologies used and missed opportunities to use new technologies for public good, especially in less developed countries. CAMBIA wishes to see a vibrant public and private sector contributing myriad solutions to the diverse challenges of food security worldwide. This vision requires the development and delivery of new enabling technologies and skills that can break the logjam that is stifling creative business and public initiatives. This in turn will allow diverse players to regain and appropriate measure of control over research, breeding, utilization of genetic diversity and management of agricultural systems.

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Please visit CAMBIA's website for more information.