Why in news?
The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) held its 2025 sessions from October 20-24, focusing on how new technologies are transforming plant variety protection and driving innovation in agriculture. 
 
About UPOV

• The UPOV is an intergovernmental organization established in 1961 by the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, based in Geneva, Switzerland. 
• The mission is to provide and promote an effective system of plant variety protection to encourage the development of new plant varieties for the benefit of society.
• UPOV grants intellectual property rights known as "breeders' rights" to the creators of new plant varieties, incentivizing innovation in plant breeding.

• The UPOV system incentivizes innovation while supporting food security and sustainable development globally.

As of 2025, it has 80 member states covering 99 countries, with continued expansion and adoption.

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