|
Specific quality linked to origin and traditions programme
Introduction
Cognisant of the right of everyone to eat safe, healthy and culturally acceptable food, FAO is initiating a programme on the ‘specific quality’ of food. This programme aims to assist Member Countries establish a supportive policy framework for the implementation of specific quality schemes, related to their specific cultural, economic and social requirements. Being voluntary in nature, the specific quality of food is distinguishable from legally mandated food safety requirements that guarantee food safety and consumer protection and that is a prerequisite to specific quality.
The specific quality of a food is a result of the inherent differentiation between food products, and can derive from the geographic origin and traditions. The food product manifests characteristics that are essentially attributable to the local resources, and these can be either physical (terroir, landscape etc.), or human (associated and/or traditional knowledge and know-how etc.), all of which contribute to the uniqueness of the product and its territorial identity.
FAO is keen to provide support to Member Countries in the implementation of specific quality schemes in relation with origin and traditions, for the following main reasons:
- It responds to a growing demand by consumers who want food with a specific character and origin;
- It facilitates the organization of local agricultural and food chains and brings added value to particular food and to improve the income for small-scale producers;
- It contributes to rural development, by bolstering the link between a product and its territory thus preventing delocalisation, while preserving local resources, such as environment and landscape, culture and know-how. Specific quality schemes and related tools are particularly appropriate in fragile or marginalised agricultural areas, where local production conditions can also be resources to be valued.
Objectives
The overall objective of the programme is to assist Member Countries to develop specific quality policies in relation to the origin and traditions that are adapted to their economic, social and cultural milieu, with the aim of adding value to their local resources (e.g. agriculture, biodiversity, know-how, etc.). The three key objectives are:
- To collect data on Member Countries’ experiences in implementing specific quality schemes in order to build up a comprehensive understanding of different situations, so as analyse what tools are best suited to implement specific quality policies in particular situations;
- To build on this information and experience, especially in the South, to elaborate useful documents for Member Countries:
- Case studies to concretely illustrate the benefits and constraints of different schemes and tools, highlighting success factors and reasons for failure;
- A FAO manual on food specific quality based on real case studies and countries’ experiences to provide operational guidelines for countries and stakeholders to bring added-value to products in the most suitable way.
- To sensitise and inform partners and stakeholders in the public sector, agricultural and food sectors, and their food chain partners, on the best means to bring added-value through quality seals, quality typical products, and local knowledge rooted in the local cultural milieu.
|
319kb]