Download Synthesis of recommendations - Basmati Growers Association

FAO-EC-DIP regional seminar on rural development and agricultural and
food quality linked to geographical origin in Asia: lessons and perspectives
8 – 11 June 2009, Imperial Queen’s Park, Bangkok
Synthesis of recommendations
The technical consultation gathered 71 experts, mainly from 17 Asian countries, to
discuss lessons learned, problems and recommendations to support rural development
and agricultural and food quality linked to geographical origin.
The recommendations addressed two main levels: i) the legal and institutional
frameworks, and ii) setting up and managing GIs at the local level. Regarding the legal
framework, governments should provide a clear and correct definition of what a GI is and
build their expertise for assessing registration applications based on a Code of practice.
The experts highlighted the great importance of coordination between public institutions.
They also emphasized the need to support policies to raise consumer awareness of GIs.
They proposed in particular the establishment of a national GI label. The experts called
for appropriate guidelines to ensure that GI marketing chains do benefit producers. As far
as local aspects are concerned, the experts noted the importance of participatory
approaches to elaborate the codes of practice and guarantee systems for GI. The experts
also encouraged industry stakeholders to promote their GI products through local and
international trade fairs and linkages with the tourism industry.
A. Legal/institutional
1. Registration and protection
Recommendations for Governments:
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Provide clear & correct definition of GI in line with TRIPS as a minimum, pertinent
legislative framework PP
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Explain the definition of GI and provide guidelines and criteria for authorization of
certification bodies (public or private) to national stakeholders
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Develop expertise for assessing registration applications based on a Code of practice
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Assess criteria: specific quality, collective approach, fair compromise among
stakeholders and protection against infringement
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Ensure that applicant should be collective organizations that equitably represent all
potential stakeholders in the GI
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Allow all eligible stakeholders to benefit from benefits of GIs
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Ensure ex-officio protection, prevent infringement with sanctions
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Involve several institutions and experts (MoA, MoT) and build consensus
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Set up cost-effective control system to avoid usurpation: private or public
2. Supportive policies
Recommendations for Governments:
•
Identify potential products and stakeholders/inter-professional body ready to cooperate
•
Lead activities to raise consumer awareness through media, booklets
•
Establish national GI label
For more information contact:
FAO: [email protected], [email protected]
EC Delegation to Thailand: [email protected], [email protected]
DIP: [email protected], [email protected]
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Launch pilot projects, provide temporary support (investment), in part. export GIs
Support local organization and capacity building for internal control system
Ensure that GI managers are collective organizations that equitably represent potential
stakeholders in the GI
Ensure that farmers and primary producers have a majority say in association
Assessment criteria could include economic and rural development potential
Include GI in national strategy for tourism and export promotion of products
Recommendations for International organization, development agencies:
•
Guidelines for pilot projects
•
Provide funding to help government set up pilot projects as well as training and capacity
development activities
3. Coordination
Recommendations for Governments:
•
Set up central inter-ministerial planning of national GI development strategy
•
Set up appropriate mechanism (e.g. interagency body) to define and control GI, and raise
consumer awareness
•
Involve local authorities in support to GI concept and identification of GI potential
•
Promote public-private partnerships for promoting GI
B. Local level
1. Setting up the GI
Recommendations for Producers:
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Properly identify resources base needs in the Code of practice
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Involvement of all value chain actors (representativeness), in particular primary ones
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CoP = criteria for specific quality, which have to be controlable (control plan)
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CoP could consider food safety requirements and possible innovations (optional)
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Documenting the traditional knowledge and stories about the product
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Phasing in the process, gradient in implementation (test scale; give producers time to
comply)
Recommendations for Facilitators (NGOs, research, international organizations):
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Facilitation process and capacity building for supply chain
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Assistance for product development
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Investment support at the beginning
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Sharing of other existing GI’s documentation and their impacts
2. Managing the GI (market, conformity)
Recommendations for Producers:
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Local organization for internal control system (before registration) and communication
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Local and international fairs for promoting GIs
Recommendations for Facilitators:
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Assistance for market assessment and increasing awareness of consumers
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Phase out support in the process (short and long term)
For more information contact:
FAO: [email protected], [email protected]
EC Delegation to Thailand: [email protected], [email protected]
DIP: [email protected], [email protected]