Submission + - Coffee and Intellectual Property (allafrica.com)
cervesaebraciator writes: A "Coffee Branding Workshop," sponsored by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), was held recently in Arusha City wherein the Director General of the Tanzania Coffee Board presented a paper entitled "Supporting the Coffee Sector with added Value Products Through Intellectual Property and Branding." The paper encouraged the use of intellectual property claims, including trademarks, copyrights, patents, and designs, as sources of income which can be used to support agriculture in Africa. The Director General claimed, "[Intellectual property rights] are the basis for today's knowledge based economy and international competitiveness". This is no doubt related to a broader effort to advance western style intellectual property in Africa through claims of the benefits it offers agriculture. Promoting western style intellectual property law as a means of third world development is a popular strategy for WIPO, the only branch of the UN to have significant wealth deriving from contributions independent of Member States. On a related note of interest to Slashdotters, there is a history of tension between WIPO advocates and FOSS advocates.
