Why have Geographical Indicators not been utilized? Is it a question of lack of awareness or capacity? (1 réponse)

It seems that these tools have not been widely employed by rural communities - although GIs have been quite widely used within Europe. However, it seems to me that GIs could be a very valuable tool in developing countries - for example, GIs in particular provide a means of recognizing the importance of place, & integrating this into conservation & development.

I am an ethnobiologist, and in recent years have been working on intellectual property rights issues. At the moment, I have just started to look at the question of the role of IPRs in promoting the sustainable utilisation of NTFPs. I am particularly interested in the role of geographical indications (GIs), which are often mentioned as being a potentially valuable tool for rural and indigenous communities to develop and market their products. Trademarks have also been considered a useful tool for local communities wanting to commercialise certain products. Another interesting tool could be community held plant variety protection (PVP). I am just starting to look at these questions, and so I do not have any answers. Rather, I wanted to highlight this issue, and to ask if any participants in this e-forum have any positive / negative experiences with IPR tools such as these. Regards, Alison Hoare Associate Fellow, Chatham House, London