Wagashi Gassirè is a fromage frais made from local cow’s milk, and is typical of the North of Benin.This product enjoys sub-regional, national and international recognition. In the Borgou and Alibori areas, which are home to 70% of the country’s cattle population, production and marketing of Wagashi Gassirè are the main source of income for rural women. This cheese is one of twenty or so Beninese products that have been identified as having the potential to obtain a geographical indication (GI). The Centre of actions for the environment and sustainable development (Aced), with technical assistance from GRET and CIRAD, is supporting the emergence and development of a GI for this product.
What is a geographical indication?
A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used to identify products with a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to this origin. GIs are relevant tools to meet numerous challenges relating to the development of agricultural value chains – profitability, equity, access to markets, economic development of terroirs – and conservation of bio-cultural diversity.
Implementing GIs in Benin
Benin began a process to implement geographical indications in 2009 and developed an institutional framework for the promotion of GIs in 2012. Thanks to the efforts made by Benin, with support from international organisations such as Agence Française de Développement, the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) and the African Intellectual Property Organisation (AIPO), some twenty products were identified, including Wagashi Gassirè cheese. The country’s first Protected geographical indication (PGI), the sugarloaf pineapple from the Allada Plateau, was registered with the AIPO in October 2020.
Raising awareness in the milk value chain
Together with GRET and CIRAD, Aced is supporting stakeholders in the Wagashi Gassirè cheese value chain through an initiative entitled “Implementing and developing the Borgou-Alibori Wagashi Gassirè GI”. The first action conducted under this initiative was an organisational and functional analysis of the milk value chain in Benin. This analysis identified the key stakeholders in the production and marketing of the cheese, the stakeholders supporting the value chain, the links between these stakeholders and the challenges faced by the value chain. This analysis must be followed up by several sessions to raise awareness on the concept of GIs. This activity is crucial for the success of the initiative: as highlighted by the African Union, although Africa has real potential to develop GIs, lack of awareness is the main obstacle to their emergence across the continent.
A workshop to launch the implementation of the Wagashi Gassirè GI
On 27 April 2023 in Parakou, Aced and GRET organised a workshop to present the first results of the functional analysis of the milk value chain in Benin, to further develop this analysis and begin specific reflections on the initiative to implement the future Wagashi Gassirè GI. This workshop was also designed to raise the awareness of stakeholders in the value chain on the concept of GIs.
It brought together 35 participants, made up of processors and vendors from Wagashi Gassirè, representatives of organisations supporting the value chain (livestock farmers’ umbrella organisations, technical units, universities, consumers’ association, intercommunal associations, support programmes and projects, the High-Commissioner for the sedentarization of livestock farmers, and the National organisation for liaison with the AIPO, located at the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s National agency for industrial property.
The discussions enabled collection of information and contacts that will make it possible to further develop the functional analysis of the value chain. They also confirmed the relevance of the GI and highlighted priority issues to be addressed: name of the GI, geographic area, composition of the organisation for the defence and management of the GI, protection of women in the process, availability of fodder and milk, conservation of the cheese, etc. Lastly, numerous opportunities for possible synergies and collaboration between stakeholders were put forward to maximise the success of this initiative.
The “Implementing and developing the Borgou-Alibori Wagashi Gassirè GI” project is being conducted by Aced, together with GRET and CIRAD. The initiative is funded by AFD, under the GI Support Fund, which is managed by CIRAD. This 30-month project (January 2023 – June 2025) also benefits from the support and advice of the AIPO.
