This webinar will explore how public agricultural research institutions in Africa, particularly National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) and CGIAR Centers, can better ensure that improved seed varieties reach the farmers they are designed to benefit. Despite their mandate to develop and share innovations for public good, many publicly bred varieties fail to reach the market due to funding and structural challenges.

The session will introduce licensing agreements as a key tool to bridge this gap between research and adoption. Participants will learn how licensing can strengthen partnerships between public and private actors, expand access to quality seed, and enhance the impact of public breeding programs. The webinar will provide practical insights into how NARES and their partners can effectively transfer rights for commercial use while maintaining commitments to affordability, reporting, and accountability.

In collaboration with New Markets Lab (NML), CGIAR Breeding for Tomorrow has developed a guide for flexible licensing approaches for NARES. This guide will be discussed during the webinar. 

NML is a law and development innovation lab dedicated to generating and disseminating data-driven research, tools, and approaches focused on effective and broad-based design and implementation of economic law and regulation.