The New Local: Linking Geographical Indications and Organics

What do Parmigiano cheese, Bordeaux, Idaho potatoes, Basmati rice, and Darjeeling tea have in common? As the concept of 'local' sourcing and marketing becomes more important, these Geographical Indications (GIs) or appellations are a potentially unique form of competitive advantage available even for small farmers and enterprises. A GI legally identifies and formally recognizes a good as originating in a delimited territory, or region where a noted quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin and/or the human or natural factors there. In many markets, organic certification, though valuable, may not offer the most appropriate way of safeguarding the actual provenance of local foods and conveying this to consumers in the marketplace. However, in more than a hundred nations, GIs are recognized as a unique expression of local agro-ecological and even cultural characteristics that have come to be valued as signals of high quality and local traditions. In many cases GIs can readily combine with organic certifications and thus provide a unique combination of assurance to consumers

Salient Trends in Organic Standards: Opportunities and Challenges for Developing Countries

This paper presents an overview of the fundamental issues in the production, trade and regulation of organic products. It notes the changing consumer and trade environments that are driving organics beyond the realm of niche products toward an increasingly relevant position among other important agricultural standards. Rather than a comprehensive analysis it outlines key elements that are most relevant to developing country producers including the likely impacts of adopting organics and the salient trends drawing from recent empirical research and the current literature on the subject. Finally, this document briefly assesses the significant constraints and opportunities facing the sector in order to draw some practical policy and investment conclusions

Salient Trends in Organic Standards: the Opportunities and Challenges for Developing Countries

An overview of the fundamental issues in the production, trade and regulation of organic products. It notes the changing consumer and trade environments that are driving organics beyond the realm of niche products toward an increasingly relevant position among other important agricultural standards. Rather than a comprehensive analysis it outlines key elements that are most relevant to developing country producers including the likely impacts of adopting organics and the salient trends drawing from recent empirical research and the current literature on the subject. Finally, this document briefly assesses the significant constraints and opportunities facing the sector in order to draw some practical policy and investment conclusionsstandards; trade; certification; accreditation; barriers, environment

The State of Organic Coffee: 2007 US Update

In 2006 imports of Organic coffee from most origins showed a considerable increase – likely the greatest of the decade so far - while premiums declined only slightly from healthy 2005 levels. Double and even triple certified coffees are becoming more common as other certified coffees also showed strong growth. Projections for 2007 indicate continued growth – likely into double digits – but much more moderate than in 2006. Having realistic data and trends is important for both coffee farmers and policymakers in producing countries to help determine their strategies and investments. Although the US is the world's single largest market for Organic coffees, there is no formal tracking of organic imports. This annual survey is conducted independently with the cooperation of nearly all of the industry’s significant importers and is provided as a public service (at no cost) for developing country producers

The State of Sustainable Coffee: A Study of Twelve Major Markets

The State of Sustainable Coffee provides the first comprehensive overview of the market conditions facing, organic, fair trade and shade grown or eco-friendly coffees (termed 'sustainable' coffees). It offers an understanding of the history and market development of the most popular certifications for sustainability: organic and fairtrade. It further outlines the volumes, trends, distribution channels, major players, and price premiums in 12 nations across Europe and Japan, as a companion to an earlier North American report. While some common parallels exist, such as the priority for consistency and quality standards, the substantial inter-market differences emphasize the need to approach each country and sometimes each distribution channel with an appreciation for its unique distinctions. Overall, the striking emergence and growth of sustainable coffees has catapulted them quickly from a small niche industry to become a significant part of the mainstream market. Their growth has consistently eclipsed the growth rate of conventional coffee for more than a decade. As a result of their strict environmental and social standards, improved governance structures, better farm management, and price premiums, these sustainability initiatives are facilitating not only rural development but also agricultural trade competitiveness for developing nations. In agriculture, it is the coffee sector that has arguably developed the most advanced experience with certified organic, fair trade, and eco-friendly products that are now shipped from more than half of the coffee exporting nations. A number of other goods ranging from commodities such as tea and sugar to meats, fruits and vegetables are following the coffee sector's innovative sustainability models. Although these sustainably produced products are not a panacea, they offer one of the few bright spots in developing country agricultural trade and provide considerable direct benefits to the more than one million coffee producing families that participate

Standards and Agricultural Trade in Asia

The markets for agri-food products are changing at a pace that is unparalleled in modern history. Markets are increasingly open and increasingly homogenized toward international tastes and requirements for levels of quality, packaging, safety, and even process attributes such as socially or environmentally friendly methods. New distribution channels, dominated by larger firms including supermarket retailers, are imposing high performance demands on their value chains. In order to respond to these increasing demands, developing countries are facing an inexorable shift toward more industrialized models of farming systems. This shift presents new challenges for small and medium farmers’ access to markets and their ability to compete. The question for many countries—and not just developing countries—is what options are there for small farmers, which still comprise the great majority of the world's agricultural producers?value chain; supply chain; commodity; agriculture

Markets and Geographical Indications of Origin: Synthesis of terra madre gathering and e-forum

Geographic Indications (GIs) such as Darjeeling Tea, Pampas meat, Basmati rice, and Parmigiano cheese embody unique expressions of culture, tradition, and place. This 6 page summary of the Main Themes of Discussion by the Terra Madre conference participants and the E-Forum departs from the premise that Geographical Indications can be an exceptional opportunity to utilize the power of the market to recognize and reward the products and services that convey particular traditions and uniqueness of culture and place. They also offer powerful rural development opportunities at the broad territorial level. Yet, some GIs succeed notably while others fail miserably. This brief document synthesizes the shared practical experiences and explores common and identifiable reasons why some GIs succeed and others fail.Terra Madre; Slow Food; local; Denominations of Origin; appelation;Rural Development; Cultural and Territorial Identity;

Market Information Services

Information is the lifeblood of most market economies. Nevertheless, attempts to jump start information flow by creating Market Information Services for food and agriculture usually fail. The author distills experiences and lessons from other studies and individual experts in the field on the reasons for such common failures and what can be done to avoid them. Critical topics such as institutional structure, dissemination methods, and funding are outlined to guide the reader through the basic issues that must be addressed in order to create a successful Market Information Service.Market Information Service; market data; price information; trade information; developing countries; marketing; agriculture, food, institutions, Market Information System

The State of Sustainable Coffee: A Study of Twelve Major Markets

The State of Sustainable Coffee provides the first comprehensive overview of the market conditions facing, organic, fair trade and shade grown or eco-friendly coffees (termed 'sustainable' coffees). It outlines the volumes, trends, distribution channels, major players, and price premiums in 12 nations across Europe and Japan, as a companion to an earlier North American report. While some common parallels exist, such as the priority for consistency and quality standards, the substantial inter-market differences emphasize the need to approach each country and sometimes each distribution channel with an appreciation for its unique distinctions. Overall, the striking emergence and growth of sustainable coffees has catapulted them quickly from a small niche industry to become a significant part of the mainstream market. Their growth has consistently eclipsed the growth rate of conventional coffee for more than a decade. As a result of their strict environmental and social standards, improved governance structures, better farm management, and price premiums, these sustainability initiatives are facilitating not only rural development but also agricultural trade competitiveness for developing nations. In agriculture, it is the coffee sector that has arguably developed the most advanced experience with certified organic, fair trade, and eco-friendly products that are now shipped from more than half of the coffee exporting nations. A number of other goods ranging from commodities such as tea and sugar to meats, fruits and vegetables are following the coffee sector's innovative sustainability models. Although these sustainably produced products are not a panacea, they offer one of the few bright spots in developing country agricultural trade and provide considerable direct benefits to the more than one million coffee producing families that participate. The book was published jointly by IISD, the International Coffee Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development with the support of the International Development Research Centre and the World Bank.coffee; sustainable; standards; organic; fair trade; Rainforest Alliance; Starbucks; agriculture markets; supply chains; distribution channels; small farmers; eco-friendly; certifications; developing country; Europe; Japan; sustainability trends;

Organic Agriculture and Poverty Reduction in Asia

This evaluation captures the small farmer's experiences of organic projects in different climactic regions and under different conditions. It uses recent research and examples, drawn primarily from the work of a team of nine researchers on 14 case studies in China and India as well as reviews of several other countries and more than 100 related studies and documents. The report reviews the characteristics of organic production and organic markets as well as the impact of organic methods. Its purpose is to draw concise lessons to help understand the processes that have led small farmers to diversify into organic agriculture and to identify the nature of the causal or contributing relationships — whether negative or positive — of government agencies, development projects, private companies, and NGOs. It also elaborates on a range of public sector roles and makes recommendations for both strategic approaches as well as specific project design. Generally speaking, the evaluation finds that there is significant evidence that organic methods could be favorable for small farmers. In fact, most of the cases clearly noted a number of direct benefits and related externalities from which it is reasonable to conclude that the promotion of organic agriculture methods among small farmers can be well warranted