Technical Assistance
Morocco
Support to development and the implementation of a recognition system for specific quality signs and origin-based labels in Morocco.
This project is implemented in the framework of the Technical Cooperation Programme of FAO. The main objective of this project is to support Moroccan ministerial departments in the implementation of the institutional framework for promoting and preserving origin-based quality products. The following results are expected:
- Finalization of legislative texts about quality linked to geographical origin schemes
- Capacity building of the institutional actors: administrative, members of the national commission for these schemes and control/certification staffs
- Interested or concerned public and private actors are sensitized , and the ones involved in the pilot projects are trained
- Supported three pilot projects in the implementation of their own GI, to serve as learning process and models for other local process (Béni Guil Lamb, Dattes of Errachidia, Olive Oil Tyout Chiadma).
Duration : May 2008 – December 2009.
Capacity-building of the local stakeholders to develop mountain quality products – Example of Saffron.
This project is implemented in the framework of the Technical Cooperation Programme of FAO. The main objective of this project is the improvement of small-scale mountain producers’ livelihood in the area of Atlas Mountains, by implementing a concrete strategy for adding value to Saffron of Taliouine and Tazenakht, including the development of a specific quality scheme. The main activity consists in capacity-building for the practitioners, facilitators and rural development executives (training for trainers) and saffron producers involving the previously trained facilitators, on sustainable agricultural practices, improvement of processing, market identification and setting up of marketing connections, code of practice for specific quality labels (GI, organic, fair-trade), supply chain organization.
Duration : April 2008 – January 2010
Tunisia
Support to development and implementation of a control system for origin-based quality products.
This project is implemented in the framework of the Technical Cooperation Programme of FAO. The main objectives of the project is to support the implementation of the legal and institutional framework and the development of quality linked to geographical origin schemes. The main results expected are:
- Finalization of the legal and institutional framework, including the control system (traceability along the supply chains, control, certification, accreditation and the registration and protection system)
- Capacity building of the institutional actors: administrative, members of the national commission for these schemes and control/certification staffs
- Interested or concerned public and private actors are sensitized, and the ones involved in the pilot projects are trained
- Supported various pilot projects in the implementation of their own GI or its marketing, to serve as learning process and models for other local process (Apple of Sbiba, Pomegranate of Gabes, Orange of Cap Bon, Lamb meat of Black of Thibar, El Jem olive oil ...)
Duration : Mars 2008 – December 2009.
Technical cooperation project in Tunisia, newsletter Mai 2009 In French
Technical cooperation project in Tunisia, newsletter Janvier 2009 In French
Technical cooperation project in Tunisia, newsletter Octobre 2008 In French
Latin America
Regional technical cooperation project on Origin-based and tradition-based quality of food products : Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Perú
This project is implemented in the framework of the Technical Cooperation Programme of FAO. The objective of this project is to improve the capacity of the institutions and of the local organizations to support and/or conduct development programmes in the field of local quality products in Latin America. The project is considering two levels of intervention: local level through pilot cases (one in each country, in order to implement the methodology built with all the stakeholders) and the institutional level, through workshops and trainings, in order to support the implementation of the GIs and for the capacity-building of the stakeholders.
Duration : December 2009 – October 2011
Ukraine
Assessment of GI potential and its realisation in support of Rural Development.
This project is implemented in the framework of the Technical Cooperation Programme of FAO, through a Facility carried on by the regional office of FAO for Europe and Central Asia (FAO REU). The aim is to explore the possibilities for investments in an enabling environment for GI to play a major role in rural development. The assessment will be based on the inventory of products suitable to acquire GI label and the potential of Ukrainian GI products on export and domestic markets, taking into account the current institutional framework.
Duration: expected timeframe December 2009-May 2010
Viet Nam
Northern mountain development through atlas of specialty products
The regional office for Asia and the Pacific of FAO is providing technical assistance to an FAO Technical Cooperation Project Facility component in Viet Nam on Northern mountain development. This activity is aiming at assessing the marketing potential of traditional products from the Northern mountainous provinces in order to foster local development. This mapping exercise could also lead to the identification of products and local communities that could benefit from the establishment of a GI. The Rural Development Centre of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development is identifying the specialty and typical products of 15 provinces in the Northern mountainous area in Viet Nam with an aim of making an atlas of these special products as well as a publication introducing specialty and typical products of each province.
Duration: 12 months. Expected completion by December 2009.
Bhutan
Establishment of a national strategy for promotion and preservation of specific quality products: the case of yak products.
This project is part of the FAO-Multi-Donor Partnership Program (FMPP) in Bhutan.
It aims at assessing the potential and feasibility of implementing specific quality schemes for Bhutanese products. The first expected outcome of this project is the definition of a national strategy for preserving and promoting high-quality traditional products of Bhutan. It will involve the assessment of the institutional framework for implementing specific quality schemes in Bhutan as well as an analysis of market opportunities and an evaluation of the yak production system. According to the findings of the assessment phase, a specific quality scheme for Yak products will be proposed (identification the most adequate type of quality scheme to implement in order to promote these products on the market, proposition of a development strategy).
Duration : Assessment phase : from June to December 2009.
The adoption of more sustainable practices in agricultural production and trade is a primary concern for FAO. Voluntary certification initiatives may benefit farmers and farm workers, as they can potentially lead to increased return on their labour, better working conditions and longer term environmental improvement. They may offer small farmers an opportunity to stay in business, through the support of consumers who are willing to pay a price premium. These initiatives may also benefit the local communities surrounding the farms and the environment. When they lead to local development through higher incomes, job creation and capacity building, they benefit society as a whole. The Trade and Markets Division of FAO has been working on environmental and social certification in agriculture since 1999. It has carried out economic analyses of trade in certified products and market studies. These papers, as well as the reports of its expert consultation and workshops on certification, can be found in its web Portal on environmental and social certification at:
www.fao.org/es/esc/en/15/190/highlight_199.html
The Division has also produced a series of manuals on regulations and certification for agricultural exports covering 5 regions of the world. These manuals can be downloaded in PDF format from:
www.fao.org/es/esc/en/15/262/highlight_269.html
