A (European) recipe for Latin America? Insights from five agri-food geographical indications in Peru and Ecuador

Abstract

Geographical Indications (GI) for agri-food products, as first developed in Europe, are gaining momentum globally, based on their assumed potential as rural development tools. However, to date, academic research has paid limited attention to their ability to meet the actual objectives of the stakeholders using them in other contexts, such as Latin America. To this end, the present paper analyses five case studies of GI designations, three in Peru and two in Ecuador. A qualitative method centred on the gathering of semi-structured interview data from different actors involved in the development and management of these GIs has been adopted. The analysis of these cases shows that these designations are valued, primarily, as tools for accessing international markets. Yet, the results also point to other objectives, most notably the contribution they can make to product differentiation and the empowerment of producers along the food chain. However, this article identifies a series of obstacles that hinder the meeting of these expectations, including a lack of alignment with the supply chain and market demands, and the multiple scales at which a GI has to be governed. Moreover, it is evident that the GIs are often granted without any consideration of the objectives and expectations of local actors. This appears to explain why, in some of the cases analysed, the GIs continue to exist solely on paper.