Asia-Pacific countries strengthen capacity in digital geo-environmental traceability for special agricultural products

Beijing: Fourteen Asia-Pacific countries gained critical skills in geo-environmental traceability and sustainability for Special Agricultural Products (SAPs) through the recent international capacity building workshop on Geographical Indications Environment & Sustainability (GIES) held on 11-21 September 2024 in China. 

The workshop was co-organized by FAO and the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). It aimed to share knowledge and build capacity on GIES application under the FAO One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative to enhance sustainable production, marketing, and traceability of SAPs across the Asia-Pacific region.

Participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam joined the event. The workshop included international experts from the CODATA GIES Task Group, as well as key stakeholders from government, international organizations, academia, the private sector, farmer associations, and other value chain actors, promoting a collaborative approach to sustainable SAP development.

During the opening ceremony, Mr Robert Simpson, Special Advisor to Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, emphasized the potential of GIES technology to support OCOP implementation through sustainable development of SAP value, aligning with FAO’s “Four Betters”. To date, 22 OCOP countries in the Asia-Pacific region have selected 20 SAPs. This workshop marks the first activity under FAO-IGSNRR Memorandum of Understanding signed at the 37th FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific in February 2024.

GIES case study field visits in Panshi, Jilin, China. © FAO/IGSNRR-CAS

Experts from IGSNRR-CAS provided a comprehensive introduction to the GIES technology. Leveraging innovations in open science, big data, Geographic Information System (GIS), and internet-of-things, GIES connects consumers with the geographical origin and environmental conditions of agrifood products. GIES-certified products receive traceable QR codes that can link consumers to the specific geographical and environmental context of the products.

Additionally, the FAO-IGSNRR joint exhibition of SAPs took place at the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing from September 12-16. SAPs were displayed by representatives from 14 Asia-Pacific OCOP countries, along with the 19 certified GIES cases from China, highlighting SAP’s potential to contribute to sustainable development and the Four Betters.

Moreover, participants gained hands-on GIES training during field visits from 14-20 September, observing GIES technology’s application across three agroecological zones in China. In Panshi city in Jilin province, they observed real-time data monitoring of production environment, plant growth, and pest status for Panshi Rice GIES case. They also visited cherry apple orchards in Baoshan township and displayed forestry and fishery products and attended the seminar on experience sharing for GIES products. Local woman farmer representative Yujun Han shared how the GIES application benefits smallholder farmers: "After the GIES project, we established our own brand for cheery apples, and buyers now come directly to us. Our income has tripled."

The Liujiashan Tea Garden in Zhushan County, Hubei Province.   © FAO/IGSNRR-CAS

Tea is the OCOP special agricultural product of China. In Shiyan, Hubei province, participants visited the Liujiashan Tea Garden in Zhushan county and participated in the peer review process for the Zhushan Tea as candidate GIES case. “The yield of the tea garden is remarkable, which is a result of comprehensive investment across various fields,” said Rosemary Kafa, Nutrition and Food Systems Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP).

In Changzhi city in Shanxi province, participants gained experience in soil and water sampling. They also observed GIES application in Qinzhou Yellow millet organic dryland farming. Shangchuan Jiang, Project Coordinator of the FAO OCOP Secretariat, noted, “The integrated application of climate-resilient agricultural technologies plays a vital role in the sustainable value chain of special agricultural products.”

In her closing remarks, Ms Xuan Li, Senior Policy Officer and OCOP Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific, noted that the technical capacity building through this workshop will be instrumental for the Asian countries in applying GIES to enhance OCOP implementation and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Field visit at the Qinzhou Yellow Millet organic dryland farming demonstration base in Shiyan, Shanxi. © FAO/IGSNRR-CAS