Examples of Projects Completed by CAS-IP Interns:

Esayas Kifle

Esayas Kifle completed his internship in 2007 at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), El Batan, Mexico.

He was involved in four complementary projects:

1. Identifying CIMMYT’s rights and obligations within specific contracts
2. Compiling a two-part “contracting handbook”. Part one gives a basic explanation of the basic concepts of contract law to help minimise risk that CIMMYT staff may inadvertently commit the institute to. Part two outlines a procedure to be followed when dealing research contracts.
3. Developing an IP procedure. Its use is intended to bridge the gap between the institute’s policy’s aims and objectives and their implementation in practice by outlining guidance.

Loy Nankya

Loy Nankya completed her internship in 2007 with the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA1), where the CGIAR Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Programme is based, in Ghana. Her work of two main elements:

1. intellectual property policy and implementation guidelines
2. review of contracts and agreements

At the end of her internship she provided FARA with a document entitled, “Draft Intellectual Property Policy and Implementation Guidelines.” This was to solicit any reactions to the policy before a final document is submitted to the FARA Board of Directors. Loy also, when reviewing contracts and agreements, provided FARA with a template to be used by FARA when contracting on terms similar to previous transactions.

Jayesh Soni

Jayesh Soni completed his internship in 2007 with ICRISAT, Hyderabad, India. His project consisted of:

1. Evaluating ICRISAT’s intellectual property intranet and internet web pages and suggesting revisions.
2. Review of the language of intellectual property clauses within a sample of ICRISAT agreements in order to monitor conformity with policy guidelines and current legal practices.

Conducting an IP health check and reviewing recommendations made during a previous intellectual property management audit in terms of fulfilment.

Rachel Weatherup

Rachel Weatherup completed her internship with IRRI in the Philippines in 2007. Her main work focused on the IRRI website, for which she formulated a “terms and conditions” for the users of the site that included a disclaimer of IRRI’s liability. She also produced a privacy statement, including the status of IP rights and copyright provisions. In addition she wrote a paper about the contractual status of 3 methods of acceptance for the SMTA, and finally, produced a couple of short notes; one concerning copyright status of theses in the IRRI library and the other a proposal IRRI is putting together involving private and public sector organisations.

1 FARA is not a CGIAR center but host a CG-wide programme hence justifying why a CAS intern went there.