GAMBIA: Journalists, youth organisations, students' researchers discuss GIs importance

Participants at  GIs Gambia forum

BiodiversityAction Journalists Gambia (BAJ Gambia) advocacy journalists organisation on Thursday 17^th July brought together local journalists, youth organisations and student researchers under one conference room to discuss on Geographical Indications (GIs), a program organized under the auspices of Biodiversity Action Journalists Gambia (BAJ-Gambia) held at its head office in Churchill’s Town.

The general objective of the gathering is to share GIs information with participants as well as putting in place GIs team in The Gambia.

GIs are sign used on goods that have a specific quality linked to its geographical origin- Peter REDD

From left: Peter, Njie and Kalu

Mr. Peter Damary from REDD stated that OLP have a special ‘typical’ quality that is linked to its ‘origin’ (the terroir0 saying that this link can be through: natural factor, and/ or human factors (special know-how, history).

Peter Damary was given a presentation on: What is an Origin Linked Product (OLP) and What is a Geographical Indication (GI), How do we define the link to the ‘Terroir’, in Akosombo, Ghana for this third Regional Training Course on Identification and Inventory of Origin Linked Quality Products and Geographical Indications from the 12^th to 16^th May, 2014.

According to him, GI in simple terms, it is legally recognized and protected name of an Origin Linked Product. Protected as an Intellectual Property (IP), he said may take various forms, such as collective or certification marks. 

Usually protects names with an existing ‘reputation’, said Peter.