Abstract
In this article, we question to what extent origin-food labels, namely Geographical Indications (GIs) and Slow Food Presidia, may effectively account for cultural biodiversity (CB). Building on Foucault’s discourse theory, we question how the Slow Food movement and GI promoters have developed their own discourse and practice on CB, how these discourses contrast, and how they inform projects. Focusing on the practices to cultivate the microbiological life of three origin labeled cheeses (from France and Italy), we have revealed the gap between these institutional discourses and what happens on the ground. We argue that how actors’ relationships in the marketplace unfold, from public authorities to the collectives of producers to consumers, may threaten the effects that these experiences of alternative food productions may have in the defense of biodiversity, causing, for instance, the loss of diversity of the invisible microbial ecosystems of artisan raw milk cheese. However, we conclude that, despite limitations, the mediatized institutional narrative on CB can amplify the political voice of local actors by fostering community and social relationships between the farmers.
Highlights
Biodiversity is a ubiquitous and evocative term raising at times alarmism at its loss and at other times excitement for its salvation power
OFS are increasingly mentioned in the debate over biodiversity, which will be referred to as cultural biodiversity1 (CB) to emphasize the relevance of local knowledge and practices in the management of agricultural biological resources
We selected three OFS that are at the forefront of practices favoring cheese microbiodiversity and illustrate complementary points by representing the diversity of trajectories of OFS driven by state or civil society: (i) the case of Piacentinu Ennese highlights differences in the communication strategy of a Presidium and a Geographical Indications (GIs) that share the same specifications; (ii) Ossau-Iraty product specifications have changed following emerging concerns or power relations among the GI stakeholders; (iii) Béarn mountain cheese Presidium is a symbol of the Slow Food campaign against starters
Summary
Biodiversity is a ubiquitous and evocative term raising at times alarmism at its loss and at other times excitement for its salvation power. Origin food schemes (OFS), such as the state-driven Geographical Indication (GI) system, which protects place-based food names, attach the value of a product to a particular place. The product uniqueness and added value depends on the local cultural and biological resources, often referred to in literature as terroir (Bowen 2010; Vitrolles 2011). OFS are increasingly mentioned in the debate over biodiversity, which will be referred to as cultural biodiversity (CB) to emphasize the relevance of local knowledge and practices in the management of agricultural biological resources
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