FAO helps Asia-Pacific OCOP countries use geo-environmental traceability tool to advance the Four Betters

Agriculture ministry officials and experts from 12 countries have concluded a hands-on training in China on using an innovative geographical and environmental traceability tool to support sustainable and profitable cultivation of special agricultural products (SAPs) with enhanced appeal for high-end consumers.

The 12-17 September 2025 International Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Geographical Indications Environment & Sustainability (GIES) for OCOP Iimplementation, was co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO), Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, and the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGSNRR-CAS).

Developed by IGSNRR-CAS, the GIES methodology is helping countries in Asia and the Pacific enhance value chains of SAPs identified with specific geographic locales and cultures, which are being promoted by the FAO global One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) flagship initiative.

Participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cook Islands, Indonesia, Fiji, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Viet Nam and Uzbekistan were briefed by IGSNRR experts and observed onsite application of GIES, which uses open science (geographical information system, remote sensing, big data and internet-of-things) to trace the geographical origin of a specific agricultural product, and provide real-time monitoring of its production environment.  GIES-certified cases are assigned traceable QR codes that contain environmental parameters and data connecting consumers with producers and products in their geographic location.

The application of GIES methodology “is expected to contribute to enhancing the recognition, value and marketability of the Special Agricultural Products, as well as showcasing their unique regional characteristics,” Carlos Aldeco, FAO Representative in China told the participants.

“This workshop is an excellent opportunity to share knowledge, build capacity, and apply GIES methodology in hands-on and field-based exercises. It also lays the foundation for Phase Two of FAO–IGSNRR collaboration, expanding the impact of GIES across countries and regions, said Yurdi Yasmi, Director, NSP, FAO, told the meeting.

The workshop was part of the ongoing collaboration between FAO and IGSNRR to leverage science and innovation to enhance OCOP implementation in Asia and the Pacific. The OCOP initiative is supporting sustainable production, processing, marketing and consumption of SAPs, which are agrifood products with high nutritional value but underutilized, to catalyse agrifood systems transformation in support of the FAO vision of Four Betters – better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life, leaving no one behind.

“Since signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FAO and our Institute in 2024, we try our best to apply GIES methodology within the OCOP initiative and chieved great success,” Dong Jiang, Deputy Director, IGSNRR-CAS said.

Participating countries also shared concrete experiences in OCOP implementation and in the application of GIES to enhance SAP value chains in Bhutan and Nepal.

They also visited Wuyishan city, Fujian Province in China to observe GIES application and digital traceability in action, and get hands-on practice in data collection on soil, water, and environmental parameters.

An exhibition of OCOP and GIES products and traceability solutions was also organized at the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services Exhibition (CIFTS).