Case study
Using geographical indications to improve sustainability. Lessons learned from 15 years of FAO work on geographical indications
Since 2007, FAO has been applying a comprehensive approach to support its Members in the development of sustainable geographical indications, with the scope of its work ranging from local value chains to national institutional frameworks.
Based on the lessons learned from technical assistance projects, consultations with stakeholders across the globe and scientific expertise, FAO has identified a number of best practices to ensure that geographical indications contribute to the development of sustainable food systems. This policy guidance brief highlights the importance of endogenous projects that put local producers at the centre of geographical indication processes (with support from public authorities and experts), as well as of specifications that promote the preservation of local resources. The brief advocates an approach that requires public institutions to play an important, possibly new role in the development of geographical indications, and provides helpful recommendations to this end.