At close of training course: OAPI task trainees to enforce collaboration, boost local development.

The OAPI boss made the call in Yaounde on Wednesday, November 27. This was during the closing ceremony of the third edition of the African training on geographical indications, dubbed "Africa-GI Training". 

The training which was organised with the support of the European Union, EU, as part of its international cooperation project to promote and protect intellectual property rights across Africa, AFRIPI, ran from November 19-27. 

The third edition of the Africa-GI Training brought together 24 trainees from 13 different African countries. Participants came from Equatorial Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Chad and Senegal amongst others.

During the training, the trainees explored in depth, through experts from OAPI, the AFRIPI project and member states, theoretical and practical way, the various facets relating to geographical indications. 

They were lectured on the useful tool to protect and enhance the products of farmers. The trainees were also equipped with skills to further protect the local products of their respective countries and ensuring longevity of the products that have already been protected in the various member states. 

Speaking at the close of the training, OAPI boss, Denis Bohoussou Loukou, disclosed that geographical indications represent a formidable leverage for development in OAPI member states. 

According to Loukou, enhancing the value of local products through the geographical indication system helps boost their market value, competitiveness, creates jobs, provides additional income for producers, and combats poverty alleviation. 

Loukou however insisted that the development of local products requires the availability of a "sufficient number and quality of confirmed experts in the field of geographical indications in our countries. 

This training course designed by OAPI in collaboration with its cooperation partners, he stressed, was specifically dedicated to the development of geographical indications in Africa in general and in the OAPI region in particular.

"OAPI member states are acutely aware of the importance of geographical indications in promoting local products, given their positive impact on local and even national development. To this end, in order to perpetuate the sustainability of these quality products from our territory, all means must be deployed not only to effectively conduct the recognition process, but also to ensure their promotion and commercial viability," the OAPI boss said. 

Loukou also pledged that OAPI will spare no effort to provide member states with the human resources needed to conduct the process of identifying, protecting and enhancing the value of geographical indications products.

Changing the narrative 

According to Loukou, information in member OAPI states shows that actors in the geographical indications sector are not receiving the local or national support they need. He said the trainees have the responsibility to address this and change the narrative. 

"I therefore urge you to share the knowledge you have acquired with your fellow citizens and the stakeholders in the various sectors…I have no doubt in your ability to be the true actors, the ambassadors of the popularization of intellectual property and particularly geographical indications in your respective States," Loukou said. 

Enter EU representative 

Speaking earlier, the representative of the EU to the ceremony, Steven Peedell, emphasised that the body together with its member states supports the creation of geographical indications all through the world because they remain convinced that they are an efficient instrument of rural economic development. 

He, however, stressed that their efforts and the efforts of producer associations are meaningless if they cannot count on the cooperation of national authorities. 

"Enforcement authorities in states need to intervene to guarantee that nobody is jumping on the reputation of its premium products that are being created by local authorities. The presence of OAPI in Cameroon certainly has a major impact in creating awareness. We need to work now on reaching a similar level of awareness in the other OAPI states,” he said. 

Trainees pledge to create impact

Speaking to reporters, one of the beneficiaries of the training from Cote d'Ivoire, Bah Yao Kouakou Andre, said thanks to the training they received, he is going back to have an impact on the agricultural sector. 

He promised to use the knowledge and skills acquired to create an impact in the agricultural sector. 

"You have women who cultivate cassava, you have coffee producers but these products were not valued. You have producers who work hard but they are not paid what they are supposed to. This is not fair. I am going back to galvanize producers and give them the added value to enable them penetrate any market because there is quality," Bah Yao said. 

It is worth mentioning that a geographical indication is a distinctive sign that identifies a product's geographical origin and its associated quality, reputation, or other characteristics. 

Geographical indicators are a form of intellectual property right that help to differentiate a product from similar products produced in other regions. 

They can be used for a wide range of products, including: agricultural products, foodstuffs, wines, spirits, textile/clothing, handicrafts, and Industrial products.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3305 of Friday November 29, 2024