The world’s poorest 47 countries could be sitting on farming
goldmines, according to a new report to the United Nations.
The goldmines are little-known local plants that could
become major export products.
“Many of the world's other 47 Least
Developed Countries (LCDs) possess unique foodstuffs that could find lucrative
export markets,” is the way the United Nations’ Conference on Trade and
Development says it in a news release.
"Natural, heritage products, if
protected and marketed well, could become a bigger source of revenue for many
LDCs," UNCTAD expert Stefano Inama said.
"Many of these countries are
dangerously dependent on commodity exports and must diversify their economies."
A new UNCTAD report, launched on 12 December, discovered a wealth of
irreplaceable products waiting for better organized commercialization such as
unusual coffee varieties and aromatic volcanic honey from Ethiopia, salted mullet
roe from Mauritania, goat meat from Mozambique and Bhutanese red rice from
Bhutan, high in the Himalayan mountains.
A key instrument in both the
protection and marketing of such goods is "Geographical Indication",
a standard obtained for products that are uniquely tied to where they are made,
grown or harvested, the news release says.
GIs are part of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
(TRIPS) run by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
"LDCs face considerable
challenges when implementing GIs because of still precarious institutions and
regulatory frameworks," the report explains. But "a number of LDCs
have requested UNCTAD to examine the option of using GIs as a tool to enhance
trade and reduce poverty."
An UNCTAD feasibility project requested
by Senegal, for example, looked at improving the livelihoods of women who
process and market fruit juices, syrups, and marmalades in the Lower-Casamance
region.
The study found that, while the women
have been able to upgrade their buildings and machinery to raise standards,
more needs to be done to verify compliance, identify niche markets and speed up
the granting of GI status.
Kampot pepper from Cambodia serves as
an example of what can be done.
This spice, renowned for its fresh
flavour, was granted GI status in 2010 and the Kampot Pepper Promotion
Association was set up to manage and market the crop.
"Our peppercorn sells at a high
price and has been recognised as the finest quality pepper because we follow
the association’s guidelines," Phok Ly, a farmer with 3,000 pepper trees, told The Phnom Penh Post. He said the
association’s efforts to maintain quality have resulted in higher incomes for
its members.
In February 2016, the European Union
officially entered the name "Kampot pepper" into its register of
protected designations of origin, largely because its success has led to a rise
in fake Kampot pepper being sold.
The study was presented in Geneva on
Monday.
