The geographical indication (GI) policy can be considered part of the rural development policies in Brazil. In this country, the purpose of recognizing the GIs supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply is “sustainable development by adding value to agricultural commodities, emphasizing differences and cultural identities of their own, organizing production chains and ensuring the safety and quality of agricultural commodities” (CIG/DEPTA/SDC/MAPA, [s.d.], p.4).
This kind of record is conferred to products or services that are characteristic of their place of origin, which attributes their reputation, intrinsic value and own identity, as well as distinguish them from their similar ones available in the market (MAPA, 2018). It is a private exclusive right of collective use, restricted to producers or service providers established on the demarked geographical area and who comply with the rules established in the Regulation of Use (MAPA, n.d., 2018; Silveira, 2011). At the Brazilian law the genre geographical indication has two species: indication of provenance and denomination of origin (BRASIL, 1996).
Although the protection given by the recognition is of a declaratory nature (attesting a preexistent reality, such as reputation or environmental influence on the product), the consequences of this kind of distinctive sign might be much larger (Cerdan, Bruch, & Silva, 2010; Fernández, 2012; Zuin & Zuin, 2009). According to a systematic review of the literature by Medeiros, Passador, & Passador (2016), GIs can act as system of protection (to the consumer and the farmer); marketing tool (emphasizing the difference from a product or service); rural development mechanism (since it can influence on the generation and maintenance of employment, income distribution, local identity, etc.); and means of preservation (of culture, savoir-faire, and even ingredients).
Thus, the present work aimed to analyze witch aspects of development are achieved short-term after the recognition of a geographical indication.
We chose the case of the indication of provenance of Serro due to the social and economic importance of the product in Minas Gerais state. As well as it was the first registry of GI for cheese in Brazil and its recognition was not too new nor too old (3 years before the research). Therefore, we imagined that subjects could remember enough to comment on the past and present of the region narrating if they have noticed changes due to the GI recognition (or its process).
This exploratory-descriptive research was carried out using the case study method. Data collection was performed by using in-depth interviews in loco (during two visits). There were 15 subjects (Chart 1):
• 06 producers from artisanal Minas Serro cheese;
• 02 chairmen of representative entities of the producers (From APAQS and COOPERSERRO);
• 02 technicians of the Company of Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (EMATER);
• 01 representative of the public authority (secretary of Tourism);
• 01 representative of the academic sphere (professor of a federal university with projects in the region);
• 03 owners of stores specialized in Brazilian cheese (02 in São Paulo and 01 in Belo Horizonte);
• 01 tour operator who has worked in the region.
Chart 1: Research Subjects description
The analysis was carried out through content analysis using NVivo software to support it and help data triangulation. In order to analyze the development resulting from a GI, we used Nalle Jr. and Passador (2007) theoretical framework. The authors propose that some components within the region collaborate for the development. These are: human capital, social capital, citizenship, territorial capabilities and conditions of sustainability. The more the region is endowed with these factors or is strategically looking forward them, the more chances to achieve a balanced growth, long lasting and collectively agreed, henceforth called development. This more comprehensive and complex understanding of sustainable territorial development, which involves cultural, social and other issues, is advocated. Each development component has intrinsic elements that were listed a priori. We compared them with the discourse of the research subjects in order to verify the development aspects originated by the GI.
In the case studied, the territorial development, more comprehensively understood as proposed by Nalle Jr. and Passador (2007), has not yet been fully achieved. This fact can be due to the obtained IP has not been fully used. However, the process required to obtain the recognition may have some impacts related to the variables intrinsic to the components of territorial development. The research subjects interviewed mentioned only impacts related to physical-economic, human and social capital. That sad, there was a lack of references to the components of citizenship, conditions of sustainability and territorial capacities.
It is worth remembering that, however many issues have been pointed out as elements of development, "development is not a collection of things, but a process that produces things" (Veiga, 2006, p.122). Therefore, it is not enough to "have" one or another component, but it matters "how one arrives" and "what one does" with what is achieved. This aspects can change and the subjects who answered to the interview might not have noticed (or might not have valued) existent changes.
The case study also showed that the effectiveness of geographical indications is based on management, commercial, tourist, political and social activities. They can be a link between some of the aspirations of contemporary society and the need to safeguard some traditions and maintain the rural social and economic fabric. Other factors such as the engagement of the producer during the registration process, the modeling of the system taking into account the characteristics of its members and the environment in which they are inserted, the simultaneous use of other tools for the protection of intellectual property, and the tourism use of geographical indications can be crucial factors to increase the value perceived by the consumer and increase the chances of success of this type of system.
The results presented are intrinsic of the region studied. Therefore, similar studies could be done with other GIs in order to compare impacts within different regions and seek for factors that may further explain them (which can be very useful to public and private managers). Furthermore, the Serro region has still many study opportunities such as long-term impacts analysis; the perception and application of the 2018 new raw-milk cheese regulations; quantitative analysis; among others.
Although it has particularities, the case studied makes it clear that only the register does not guarantee territorial development. It can be inferred that the geographical indications applied to agricultural products must, in addition to an end, be considered as a mean to rural development.
Bibliography
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