GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION (GI) is a form of certification that recognises unique products based on their origin, which is often attributed to agro-climatic variations and traditional cultivation practices. This certification is also extended to non-agricultural products, such as handicrafts, based on human skills, materials and resources available in certain areas that make the product unique. Consumers prefer genuine products, and GI provides the assurance of authenticity while also promoting community development.
Trade reforms, legal protection and consumer acceptance are necessary to commercialise local products and gain premium prices in domestic and international markets. Empirical evidence from many developing and developed countries shows that GI helps economic enhancement at the producer’s level. But this is not true to the same extent in India, perhaps due to flaws in the GI registration system and market inefficiencies. Therefore, India’s journey of over two decades—the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Rules was enacted in 1999—with GI has had limited outcomes and requires more popularisation to achieve its full economic potential. This article seeks to provide a perspective on the efforts and attention towards GI from national and international lenses and draw policymakers’ attention to this issue.
INDIA VIS A VIS WORLD
Denne historien er fra January 16, 2024-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra January 16, 2024-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
