The European Union (EU) co-funded “Sustainable Resilient Ecosystem and Agriculture Management in Mongolia (STREAM)” project is working together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to support the development of new geographical indications (GIs) and the improvement of the existing GI system in Mongolia. A strong GI system in Mongolia can provide new economic opportunities at the national and local levels for origin-linked products value-chains in the country. 

Geographical indication is an intellectual property right protecting the name of those products which have developed unique characteristics due to a mix of local natural or human induced factors through the use of producers’ local knowledge/know- how. During the past decade, interest in an enhanced protection of GIs has increased worldwide. In Asia, countries have increasingly put in place GI national registration systems resulting to over 1000 GI products being already registered in the region.

Some example of renowned GIs from around the globe are Champagne or Cognac (France), Feta cheese (Greece), Darjeeling tea, Kashmir Pashmina (India) or Kobe beef (Japan). ‘Uvs Chatsargana’ (seabuckthorn berries) from the Uvs province has also obtained earlier this year (January 2022) official registration in the European Union, making it the first geographical indication protected in the EU from Mongolia.

The project is planning to work with national and local authorities to draft recommended strategic actions for GI development in Mongolia. This will include the identification and support for pilot GI projects with capacity building in order to prepare them for their registration. This contribution will also increase the visibility and sustainable valorization nationally and internationally with associated benefits for producers, regions of productions and the country itself.

The STREAM project aims to increase capacity of Mongolian communities to implement innovative and sustainable long-term landscape management to address food system challenges and climate stresses. The project is co-funded by the European Union and the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-implemented by GIZ and FAO in cooperation with Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry.