From India’s Darjeeling tea to Cambodia’s Kampot Pepper and Thailand’s famous silks, coffees and rice, defending these geographically well-known products is more important than ever, a meeting of regional stakeholders in Bangkok has heard.

While big brand names in the corporate and retail world spend billions of dollars defending their brand identities, insisting that local authorities clamp down on so-called ‘knock off’ replicas, countries and communities in Asia-Pacific are increasingly interested in protecting the special geographical relationship of their well-known indigenous products produced by smallholder farmers and rural communities.

Increasingly they are turning to the system known as Geographical Indications (GI). The GI system offers protection through national and trans-national registration of products, recognizing their origin and promoting their special qualities and the local wisdom required to produce the authentic article. This protects smallholder farmers and rural producers from foreign copycats and helps improve their livelihoods. The GI system also pays close attention to products that support biodiversity and rural women and their important role in GI production.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Delegation of the European Union to Thailand, the French Development Agency (AFD) and Thailand’s Department of Intellectual Property of the Ministry of Commerce (DIP) have co-organized an event to raise awareness of these quality products and their uniqueness to the region. The event was hosted by the French Embassy in Thailand.

Participants came from government, public and private sectors along with representatives from Bangkok’s diplomatic community and farmers and producers of GI products in the region.

Opened by the French Ambassador to Thailand, Gilles Garachon, speakers included FAO’s Deputy Regional Representative for Asia-Pacific, Jong-Jin Kim, the European Union Ambassador to Thailand, Jesús Miguel Sanz, and Thailand’s Minister of Commerce, Apiradi Tantraporn. The event also showcased GI success stories and products from the region.

Special recognition was given to a number of GI products: Lamphun Brocade Thai Silk – which has now been registered in Indonesia – the first trans-national registration for a Thai GI Handicraft product; Cambodia’s GI Kampot Pepper and Kampong Speu Palm Sugar, newly registered and protected in Thailand; and Thailand’s own GI Doi Chaang and Doi Tung coffees, along with Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung rice now registered and recognized in the European Union.  Producers of Isan Indigenous Thai Silk Yarn also received GI compliance certificates. Last but not least, the event demonstrated the benefits of increased cooperation of both the public and private sectors in optimizing public awareness on GI –  and the promotion of GI products – all for the good of increasing farmer’s and producer’s revenues and opportunities.