The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in conjunction with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Lao PDR, the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Embassy in Vientiane has launched a regional symposium promoting the Geographical Indications (GI) initiative which aims to help smallholder farmers reach a much broader market.

The GI is an intellectual property right of a product and is specific to its geographical location. Receiving a GI certification means a product is named after its geographical origin, such as “Kampot Pepper” from Cambodia or “Darjeeling Tea” from India. In order to receive a GI certification on a product, farmers must meet specifications and standards on food quality, production and marketing mechanisms. Coffee from Lao PDR’s Bolaven Plateau is poised to receive that country’s first GI recognition.