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Geographical indication (GI) products: competitive advantages
Published on 02 July 2018
Italy
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) marks, identify products originating in a specific place, region or country whose quality or characteristics are essentially or exclusively due to a particular geographical environment with its inherent natural and human factors and the production steps of which all take place in the defined geographical area. The objective of this Good Practice is to improve the competitiveness of the regional agriculture through the added value of quality instead of the competition on commodities costs. The regional ‘Agrofood’ system has a long tradition in GI productions, that represent a knowledge heritage with a specific meaning in maintaining the rural organization in terms of social as well as economic advantages. The target is to maintain and qualify the GI products with the support of innovation maintaining traditions.
The GP concerns the strengthening of the quality products in order to give a central role to the GI products as representative of the global quality of the regional Agrofood system. These products can be the messengers and the pathfinders able to promote the reputation of the agriculture of the concerned territory.
GI products need especially costs for organization activities: for the farmers and holdings, to set up a specific consortium or association, legal costs, communication, and promotion. The amount depends on the production and on the number of subjects involved.
The GP concerns the strengthening of the quality products in order to give a central role to the GI products as representative of the global quality of the regional Agrofood system. These products can be the messengers and the pathfinders able to promote the reputation of the agriculture of the concerned territory.
GI products need especially costs for organization activities: for the farmers and holdings, to set up a specific consortium or association, legal costs, communication, and promotion. The amount depends on the production and on the number of subjects involved.
Resources needed
Preliminary and initial steps: deep territorial investigation activity, availability of the farmers or the producers to participate in an associated body charged of the valorization activity; presence of specific skills in the public administration body (1 person full, 2 persons half-time).
Evidence of success
The success of the policy is determined by the number of PDOs and PGIs recognized and the increasing of the sales of the GI products and of the farmers income. In our Region we have recognized 44 PDOs and PGIs so far while in Italy there are 297 PDOs and PGIs in all. On the bases of the last statistical data available (2017), Qualivita ISMEA report 2018, our PDOs and PGIs represent a production value of about 2.983 million compared with 6.960 million at the national level.
Potential for learning or transfer
The policy needs at least three keys: first, a territorial investigation activity in order to collect the productions with a potential added value as traditional product which can be involved in a food chain. The second key is to get the availability of the farmers or of the producers to participate in an associated body charged of the valorization activity. Third: specific skills inside the public administration in charge of the recognition procedure.
The key elements of success are mainly internal, but they can request an action aimed to let them know to a large number of consumers.
Specific trained personnel is in charge of the recognition procedure. It is linked to the traditional products of the territory with a particular added value in terms of biodiversity, reputation, way of processing, etc. The procedure can be transferred to any other region with potential for GI products.
The key elements of success are mainly internal, but they can request an action aimed to let them know to a large number of consumers.
Specific trained personnel is in charge of the recognition procedure. It is linked to the traditional products of the territory with a particular added value in terms of biodiversity, reputation, way of processing, etc. The procedure can be transferred to any other region with potential for GI products.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Emilia-Romagna region
Italy
Emilia-Romagna