Geographical indications and food security.

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter examines the contribution of geographical indication to achieving food security. The GI has also been identified as a guarantee of food safety. This has become particularly important where agricultural diseases such as BSE and Avian Flu are attributed to particular localities. It has been suggested that the traditional agricultural knowledge of traditional farmers and indigenous people could be protected through GIs. A more optimistic assessment of the potential for GIs to protect TK is made by Marion Panizzon and Thomas Cottier in their study: 'Traditional Knowledge and Geographical Indications: Foundations, Interests and Negotiating Positions'. They observed that: Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Geographical Indications (GIs) share a common element insofar as they both protect accumulated knowledge typical to a specific locality. While TK expresses the local traditions of knowledge, GIs stand for specific geographical origin of a typical product or production method. GIs and TK relate a product (GIs), respectively a piece of information (TK), to a geographically confined people or a particular region or locality.