8 May 2013Copyright

KIPI chairman plans to boost IP awareness in Kenya

At a reception on World IP Day in April, chairman of the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) Paul Lilan said Kenya needs to channel more resources into the promotion and protection of intellectual property.

He is quoted in Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation as saying: “Although IP is so important in the development of our country, there are virtually no resources devoted to its promotion.”

Lilan also announced plans to establish an IP Academy in Kenya, a division of the KIPI that will develop and run programmes on different aspects of IP with a primary focus on practical, technical knowledge.

“It is critical that creators are facilitated to protect and promote their IP rights,” KIPI managing director Henry Mutai told WIPR.

“Kenya and its economy, on the other hand, will benefit as a result of the enhanced competitiveness of the products and services its businesses would produce for their consumers.  Also, the more the competitive the industries, the more jobs the economy would create,” he added.

Channelling more resources into the promotion and protection of IP will increase levels of IP awareness among Kenya’s nationals, and allow the KIPI and other IP government agencies to offer improved services, he said.

He added that a lack of resources prevents agencies from hiring and training sufficient officers, upgrading facilities or carrying out promotional and educational activities.

“The aim is to address the lack of capacity nationally on the means of exploiting intellectual property through accessing information, drafting applications and contracts,” he said. “Short courses on patent drafting and accessing technological information are already being offered on an ad hoc basis.”

He said a low level of IP awareness among the public and the limited resources for IP offices to promote IP rights are key issues facing the KIPI and other agencies in Kenya: “Awareness has been a major challenge because intellectual property offers a variety of forms of protection for different subject matter.

“Innovators and researchers need to know both what form of protection is available in their area of interest as well as how to make use of it.  Likewise, innovators need to know that not all ideas and innovations qualify for protection under our laws, especially while they are still at an abstract stage.”

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