Intellectual property rights, technology diffusion, and agricultural development
Author: Spielman, David J.
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Published: 2014-04-30
Total Pages: 44
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe role of intellectual property rights (IPRs) has been extensively debated in the literature on technology transfers and agricultural production in developing countries. However, few studies offer cross-country evidence on how IPRs affect yield growth, for example, by incentivizing private-sector investment in cultivar improvement. We address this knowledge gap by testing technology diffusion patterns for six major crops using a unique dataset for the period 19612010 and an ArellanoBond linear dynamic panel-data estimation approach. Findings indicate that both biological and legal forms of IPRs tend to promote yield gap convergence between developed and developing countries, although effects vary between crops.