The Zambian Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI) is a department under the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and one of its functions is the implementation, registration and enforcement of Plant Breeders' Rights in Zambia.
Zambia has a Plant Breeders' Rights Act No. 18 of 2007 which came into force on 31 August 2007. This Act provides for protection of Plant Breeders' Rights by registration of plant varieties and to regulate matters of plant variety ownership and use. However, when this Act of 2007 came into force, no Regulations were promulgated. In the absence of Regulations, the Zambian Seed Control and Certification Institute was unable to accept and process applications for Plant Breeders' Rights.
On 13 May 2011 the Zambian Plant Breeder's Rights (Forms and Fees) Regulations, 2011 (Statutory Instrument No.46 of 2011) came into effect. However, only in October 2011 was the Zambian Seed Control and Certification Institute in a position to start accepting and processing applications for Plant Breeders' Rights. Since then a number of Plant Breeders' Rights applications have been filed and published for opposition purposes.
The headquarters of the Zambian Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI) is located in Chilanga about 15 kilometers from the city of Lusaka. The SCCI achieves its mandate through three technical sections:
- Seed systems, Inspections and Training Section,
- Official Seed Testing Station and
- Seed Research and Development Section
The Zambian Plant Breeders' Rights Act No. 18 of 2007 provides for the granting of rights in respect various prescribed plants listed in Schedule 3 of the Regulations.
Zambia is not a member of the UPOV Convention.
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