Abstract
Geographical Indications (GIs) are regarded as important endogenous rural development mechanisms by the European Union. GIs have proven successful for some producers in some regions, delivering higher added value and safeguarding a product’s identity and heritage through the notion of terroir. Within the context of a gradual “greening” of GIs, this paper opens up questions about what potential they might have for transitions to agroecology territories, which are spaces engaged in a transition process towards sustainable agri-food systems. Using the Food and Agricultural Organization’s 10 elements of agroecology as a lens, we discuss whether GIs can serve as levers in delivering sustainable agri-food transitions, drawing on the case of the devolved nation of Wales. We base our narrative on a content analysis of GI product specification documents and data from interviews with GI stakeholders. Our case study illustrates that the discourse within the regulatory framework of some Welsh GIs has shifted from one of technicality towards the integration of some agroecology elements in more recent GI product specifications. In this respect, we argue that there is evidence of a “first generation” and “second generation” assortment of GIs in Wales. However, any potential for levering an overall transition within this scheme towards an agroecology territory remains constrained by the piecemeal embedding of agroecology. The incorporation of agroecology is emerging primarily from the ground-up—driven by independent organizational and place-based collective action, but unaccompanied, as yet, by any parallel shift amongst supporting administrative and regulatory authorities. We also discuss the importance of reflexive governance if GIs are to be viable pathways for sustainability transitions. As such, the capacity for GIs to facilitate quality-led place-based food systems that enhance increasingly threatened environmental resources is contingent upon stakeholders adopting a territorial, reflexive governance approach.
Highlights
Geographical agri-food scholarship and regional studies have seen a renewed focus on the “territory” as the scale at which transitions to sustainability are made possible [1,2,3,4]
We argue that the framework of agroecology territories, defined as “places engaging in a transition process toward sustainable agricultural and food systems” [18] (p. 135), can assist in further aligning Geographical Indications (GIs) to sustainability policy objectives and agri-environment schemes
There has been a stronger emphasis on the wider possibilities offered through GIs in the last decade, and as noted, there is growing interest about the role that GIs can have in achieving broader sustainability goals [52]. It is for this reason that we explore GIs through the lens of agroecology, which is emerging as a viable pathway to mitigate crises and deliver sustainable transformations [17]
Summary
Geographical agri-food scholarship and regional studies have seen a renewed focus on the “territory” as the scale at which transitions to sustainability are made possible [1,2,3,4]. There are various territorially focused agri-environment schemes borne out of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms, such as regulation 1305/2013, which contained measures to support short food supply chains and local food markets and encourage farmers to join producer groups and quality schemes. One of the most established governance mechanisms to achieving a more place-based, quality-led agri-food system is the Geographical Indications (GI) scheme. In the EU, GIs were incepted during the 1990s to “encourage the production of quality foods, assist poorer lagging regions, allow producers to charge higher prices and inform consumers about the origin of their produce” [6] The EU has invested considerable funds into promoting and supporting GIs and regards them as important endogenous rural development mechanisms. There are over 1400 GIs in the EU (excluding wines and spirits, which are subjected to separate regulations), a steady rise from 450 in 2000
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
