Under the three-year project (2014 -2017), which is implemented by the United Nations Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the four countries will be provided with experiences on developing their GI, building connectivity networks in State and private sectors to advertise Vietnamese products to regional and international markets.
Speaking at the launch in Hanoi on June 25, Director General of the Vietnam National Office of Intellectual Property, Ta Quang Minh said that the development of GI will help elevate the value and competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural products, increasing income for locals and contributing to poverty reduction in rural areas.
Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the French Embassy in Vietnam, Michel Drobniak said that the project was designed to help the beneficiary countries consolidate their legal systems on GI and gain regional recognition for their national GI.
GI is not only an official indication that indicates the link between the place of origin and the characteristics of that product but also an effective way to fight counterfeiting.
GI also helps customers have easy access to guaranteed quality products.
Over the past decade, GI has become an important tool in trading, rural development, value chain and product promotion, and tourism. There have been more than 120 geographical indications registered in Asia.
Vietnam now has 38 products that have been GI certified including Shan Tuyet Moc Chau tea, Hai Hau rice and Van Yen cinnamon, ranking second among Asian countries in the field.
