World Food Policy • Vol. 3, No. 2 / Vol. 4, No. 1 • Fall 2016 / Spring 2017
One Size Fits all or Tailor-Made? Building
Appropriate Certification Systems for
Geographical Indications in Southeast Asia
Delphine Marie-Vivien 1 and Isabelle Vagneron 2
Abstract
Geographical indications (GIs)—i.e. indications identifying goods
originating in a specific place and having quality, characteristics,
and reputation attributable to their geographical origin—are de-
veloping fast in the Southeast Asian food sector, with a wide range
of new products such as Khao Hom Mali and Thung Kula Rong-Hai
(fragrant rice), Kampot pepper, or Nuoc Mam Phu Quoc (fish sauce).
After concentrating their efforts on registering GIs (to protect the
name against counterfeit), GI promoters needed to decide how to
control product compliance with GI specifications for specific qual-
ity. This paper analyzes the control and certification procedures for
GIs in four Southeast Asian countries—Thailand, Vietnam, Cam-
bodia, and Laos—and the challenges faced in building an efficient
yet appropriate system of controls in these countries. Influenced
by the “gold standard” of certification in place of organic agricul-
ture, finding appropriate GI control systems is one of the dilemmas
faced by these countries. The article discusses the main differences
between GIs and other agricultural standards—specifications that
are unique to each GI, endogenous, and based on local production
practices—and the consequences in terms of certification. Indeed,
in the case of GIs, other options than private third-party certifica-
tion could better ensure that GI rules are followed, which may rely
on the knowledge producers and connoisseurs have of the product.
Keywords: geographical indication, control, third-party certifica-
tion, standard, ASEAN
1
2
1) CIRAD, UMR INNOVATION, F-34398 Montpellier, France, 2) INNOVATION, Univ Montpel-
lier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France, 3) MALICA research platform, Hanoi, Vietnam
1) CIRAD, UMR INNOVATION, F-34398 Montpellier, 2) MOISA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD,
Montpellier, France 3) MALICA research platform, Vientiane, Lao PDR
105
doi: 10.18278/wfp.3.2.4.1.6