From geographical indication protection to food sovereignty

Cassava and Gari Sohoui in Savalou, Benin

Abstract

Local food is the consequence of a combination of cultural and physical environment conditions. The distinctive qualities of sub-Saharan African local food are threatened by national agricultural policies that emphasize export crops. Protecting local food offers a path to food sovereignty for rural commu­nities. Geographical indication (GI) labeling pro­tects distinctive local food. This case study exam­ines Gari Sohoui, a processed form of cassava, originating from Savalou District (or Commune) in central Benin. Based on fieldwork, the study explores to what extent GI protected Gari Sohoui can foster local communities’ food sovereignty. The primary actors involved in this food system, farmers and processors, were surveyed through in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews and participant observations. Interviews revealed that labor constraints for weeding present the most important challenges to production. In the absence of practical agroecological alternatives to manage weeds, growers use herbicides that are widely accessible because of the country’s agricultural development strategy. While GI protection of Gari Sohoui in central Benin promises to foster social cohesion, generate substantial economic gains, and promote transition to agroecological practices, the widespread use of herbicides in the case study villages threatens to undermine the status of Gari Sohoui. GI protection for Gari Sohoui empowers local communities to take control of their food systems, especially women, through preservation and valorization of local knowledge while contributing to their food sovereignty.