Relevance of a Geographical Indication for Salt from Senegal's
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Relevance of a Geographical Indication for salt from Senegal’s Pink Lake Relevance of a Geographical Indication for salt from Senegal’s Pink Lake Authors Pape Tahirou Kanouté – Economy, Territories and Development Services, Senegal Christiane Malan – Montpellier Supagro/IPAD Stéphane Fournier – Montpellier Supagro/UMR Innovation Catherine Teyssier – FAO/Nutrition and Food Systems Division Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, 2018 Recommended citation Kanouté, P.-T., Malan, C., Fournier, S. & Teyssier, C. 2018. Relevance of a geographical indication for salt from Senegal’s Pink Lake. Rome, FAO. 16 pp. Cover photograph © Christiane Malan The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO. © FAO, 2018 FAO encourages the use, reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Except where otherwise indicated, material may be copied, downloaded and printed for private study, research and teaching purposes, or for use in non-commercial products or services, provided that appropriate acknowledgement of FAO as the source and copyright holder is given and that FAO’s endorsement of users’ views, products or services is not implied in any way. All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be made via www.fao.org/contact-us/licence-request or addressed to [email protected]. FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/publications) and can be purchased through [email protected]. iii Contents Acronyms and abbreviations iv 1. A favourable context for developing geographical indications 1 2. Senegalese salt 2 2.1 Senegal, primary producer of African salt 2 2.2 Iodization of salt, a public health issue 2 3. Pink Lake salt, a typical but little-known Senegalese product 3 3.1 The Pink Lake or Lake Retba 3 3.2 Special extraction techniques for a specific product 3 3.3 The Pink Lake salt value chain: stakeholders and collective organization 4 3.4 A reputation to be boosted 5 4. Challenges connected with Pink Lake salt 5 4.1 The importance of controlled iodization 5 4.2 The challenge of preserving the lake 5 4.3 Greater optimization of the product and better working conditions 5 5. Relevance of a GI to respond to these challenges 6 5.1 Feasibility of a GI 6 5.2 Action already under way 7 5.3 Effects on the production system and the value chain 7 6. Conclusion 7 Bibliographical references 8 iv Acronyms and abbreviations AFD French Development Agency ASPIT Senegalese Agency for Industrial Property and Technological Innovation CIRAD International Cooperation Centre on Agrarian Research for Development CNTIG National Technical Committee for Geographical Indications CTA Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations GI geographical indication GRET Technical Exchange and Research Group OAPI African Intellectual Property Organization PAMPIG Support Project for Establishment of Geographical Indications ROPPA Network of Farmers’ and Agricultural Producers’ Organizations of West Africa UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization WFP World Food Programme WHO World Health Organization Relevance of a Geographical Indication for salt from Senegal’s Pink Lake 1 1. A favourable context for developing geographical indications In 2007, FAO launched the “Quality & Origin” Against this background, in November 2012 Programme, which seeks to provide support to Senegal established a National Technical Commit- member countries in the development of specific tee for Geographical Indications (CNTIG) within policies regarding origin-linked quality (volun- the Senegalese Agency for Industrial Property and tary standards, including geographical indications Technological Innovation (ASPIT), composed of [GIs]) that will promote sustainable rural devel- representatives of government departments and opment in economic, social and environmental the private sector. ASPIT organized a national tour terms. In this context, a number of case studies by CNTIG in October 2013 to raise awareness were undertaken throughout the world on prod- among stakeholders concerning GIs and to iden- ucts with high potential for recognition as GIs. tify pilot products that might be eligible for GI Since the Bangui Agreement was revised in registration. The products identified were honey 1999, the member states of the African Intellectual from Casamance, yetts (marine molluscs living in Property Organization (OAPI) have equipped mangrove zones) from Joal-Fadhiout, goat cheese themselves with a legal framework for GI protec- from Keur Massar and salt from the Pink Lake. tion. A phase of awareness-raising, the training This study on salt from the Pink Lake was of institutional and technical stakeholders, and therefore carried out by FAO in 2015 in order to: the identification of products with GI potential feed into the Quality & Origin Programme has been supported by bilateral and international and help spread knowledge about GIs; partners.1 The Support Project for Establishment contribute to the identification of pilot of Geographical Indications (PAMPIG), financed products as part of the African Union’s by the French Development Agency (AFD) and continental strategy on GIs; and implemented by OAPI with technical support examine CNTIG’s proposals in greater depth from the International Cooperation Centre on by analysing the advantage and feasibility of Agrarian Research for Development (CIRAD),2 registering this product with a GI. enabled three African GIs to be registered and recognized by the 17 OAPI countries in 2013: Oku honey from Cameroon, Penja pepper also from Cameroon and Ziama Macenta coffee from Guinea. More recently, the African Union Commission, with support from the European Union and FAO, has sought to develop a continental strategy to facilitate the development, promotion and protec- tion of GIs in Africa. 1 The French Development Agency (AFD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), the International Cooperation Centre on Agrarian Research for Development (CIRAD), the Swiss REDD Training and Consultancy Organization, the Technical Exchange and Research Group (GRET) and the Network of Farmers’ and Agricultural Producers’ Organizations of West Africa (ROPPA). 2 http://afrique-centrale.cirad.fr/recherche-en- partenariat/principaux-projets/appui-a-la-mise-en- place-des-indications-geographiques-pampig Relevance of a Geographical Indication for salt from Senegal’s Pink Lake 2 2. Senegalese salt 2.1 SENEGAL, PRIMARY PRODUCER 2.2 IODIZATION OF SALT, OF AFRICAN SALT A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE World salt production, dominated by China and The Senegalese state works to boost the iodization the United States, was 264 million tonnes in 2013. of salt6 through its Malnutrition Control Unit, Senegal, Africa’s foremost salt producer, produces which is supported by international programmes more than 450 000 tonnes a year, which is sold (UNICEF, WFP, the Micronutrients Initiatives mainly in the subregion (60 percent of produc- NGO, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutri- tion) but also in Europe (Emergent Senegal Plan,3 tion etc.). Training sessions have thus been organ- 2013). Although its share of world production is ized for producers, and iodization units, complete small (less than 1 percent), it does contribute quite with the necessary materials and suitable packag- significantly to the generation of extra income for ing, have also been made available to them. Iodiza- both rural and urban inhabitants through produc- tion as recommended by WHO is in fact needed tion, collection, transport and export operations. to prevent and treat iodine deficiency.7 There is a The main salt production zones in Senegal are national-level quality control mechanism run by the regions of Dakar (Pink Lake, Sangalkam the Domestic Trade Service in collaboration with Commune), Saint Louis, Kaolack, Fatick and other control bodies such as the customs service, Ziguinchor (mangrove salt). Between 1996 and the police and health services. Staff have been 2005, salt production more than doubled, rising trained and provided with iodine testers. from 196 763 tonnes to 427 453 tonnes (Kaolack Regional Trade Service, 2007). This increase in market share came about through the introduction of a salt iodization process for the sake of public health. Nearly 90 percent of the salt exported is produced by industrial units (the Sine Saloum salt works in the Kaolack region and Sel Sine in the Fatick region). Paradoxically, Senegal imports refined salt, paying out CFAF 2 billion, or about 3 million euros,4 in 2013.5 Salt production