Since being introduced in July 2015, the Arusha protocol for the
protection of novel plant varieties in Africa has finally entered
into force on the 24th November 2024, after
ratification by a fourth member state. The states currently to have
ratified the protocol are Cape Verde, Ghana, Rwanda,
and São Tomé e Príncipe.
The protocol aims to provide a central harmonised system in
Africa for protecting plant variety rights, sitting within the
African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO).
Applications can be filed through ARIPO, examination follows the
usual DUS testing, and once granted the rights should have a
uniform effect across the designated states, much like a community
plant variety right in Europe. Provision is made in the Protocol
for the claiming of priority from an application in any country
that is a party to an “international agreement for the
protection of new plant varieties” (including the UPOV
Convention). It is hoped that more of the 22
