Guide to Geographical Indications: Linking Products and Their Origins (Summary)

Abstract

The source publication explains the pros and cons of GIs, how they work, and the success factors that influence them. We have distilled the lessons from the published literature, including nearly 200 research papers, and the evidence from eight original case studies conducted in Antigua Guatemala, Nariño Colombia, Darjeeling India, Blue Mountain Jamaica, Kona Hawaii, Mezcal regions of Mexico, Veracruz Mexico, and Mongolia.The book offers a global overview of GIs today and their distribution worldwide by country and by product. It covers not only the economic or competitive value of GIs but also their considerable developmental characteristics. These include: effect on small producers, employment, and rural enterprise, culture and environment. However, it goes beyond the opportunities to suggest areas of cautions and to clearly illustrate how GIs can be problematic and are certainly not appropriate in certain cases.Best practices and lessons learned are documented in a concise and accessible manner so that anyone interested in GIs can better understand how to structure them, step-by-step, and how to consider the options available to develop them. The book covers the philosophical and political distinctions of different legal protection options and reviews the 2 differences between EU approaches and those followed in the US and in other major countries such as China and India. This includes insights on the application processes and a set of "Frequently Asked Questions" on GIs in general. The focus is predominantly on the challenges faced by developing countries.

The Identity Crisis of Hard Cider

“…In their review of the pros and cons of GIs, Giovannucci, Josling, Kerr, O'Connor, & Yeung (2009) offer the following conclusion: -[GIs can] be a unique and powerful tool when adequately managed. GIs can offer a comprehensive framework for rural development since they can positively encompass issues of economic competitiveness, stakeholder equity, environmental stewardship, and socio-cultural value.‖ Among the rural development potentials listed are: -better quality rural employment,‖ -foster business clustering and rural integration,‖ and increased tourism (Giovannucci et al, 2009).…”

“…GIs can offer a comprehensive framework for rural development since they can positively encompass issues of economic competitiveness, stakeholder equity, environmental stewardship, and socio-cultural value.‖ Among the rural development potentials listed are: -better quality rural employment,‖ -foster business clustering and rural integration,‖ and increased tourism (Giovannucci et al, 2009). The authors further indicate that the downsides of GIs are largely attributed to bad management: -badly managed GIs can be dominated by limited political interests or just a few enterprises.…”

“…The authors further indicate that the downsides of GIs are largely attributed to bad management: -badly managed GIs can be dominated by limited political interests or just a few enterprises. In some cases, GIs can exclude the poorest producers or even stimulate inappropriate outcomes such as the dissolution of traditional practices or the destruction of biodiversity‖ (Giovannucci et al, 2009). Giovannucci and his colleagues identify four essential components to the success of GIs: (1) strong organizational and institutional structures to maintain, market, and monitor the GI; (2) equitable participation among the producers and enterprises in a GI region; (3) strong market partners committed to promoting and commercializing over the long term; and (4) effective legal protection, including a strong domestic GI system.…”

“…However, Giovannucci et al (2009) indicate that in the United States, -even unregistered GIs may be recognized as common law marks and thus be enforceable if they rise to the level of a ‗source identifier',‖ which they define as a -trademark term meaning the capacity of a sign to clearly distinguish the goods or services of one enterprise (including a collective group of producers) from those of another enterprise.‖ Florida Oranges, Idaho Potatoes, Maine Lobster, Napa Valley Wine, and Washington State Apples are all examples of preeminent GI brands active in the United States (Agarwal & Barone, 2005). There are no GIs for hard cider.…”

Creole Hens and Ranga-Ranga: Campesino Foodways and Biocultural Resource-Based Development in the Central Valley of Tarija, Bolivia

“…Advocates of identity-or biocultural heritage-based products argue that valorisation can generate multiple ecological, economic and sociocultural benefits for resource holders and their territory, including supporting the retention of biodiversity at different scales, better incomes for small-scale producers, including greater recognition of aspects of production often undertaken by women, the maintenance of cultural practices, and sustaining or enhancing access to culturally important foods and dishes [11,[44][45][46][47]. Through enhancing the viability of rural territories through biocultural heritage promotion, demand for other goods and services in the territory can also be enhanced [15].…”