This book presents definitive information on intellectual property law in a simplified form (with a minimum of legal jargon) not available in other texts on the subject. There are two sections. The first begins with an introductory chapter and goes on to consider issues and principles including protection, transference and capacity building, both at the national and institutional level. The second consists of eleven country and regional case studies from six continents, which track the international variation in intellectual property law and its application to agricultural biotechnology.