Caribbean Export OUTLOOK 2016 - 2017

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Using a Strategic approach
for advantage
To take advantage of the IP system including the
use of GIs, regional agricultural producers must
first understand that there is no one approach
that fits all as it relates to promoting agricultural
products. Rather, amix of IP tools can be deployed
to seek maximum advantage on the market.
Having GI legislation in place at the national level
increases the choice of IP tools that are available
to be used for the protection of OLPs. Not all
regional countries have national GI legislation
and producers will therefore have to rely on
other systems such as a trademark, collective or
certification mark, which can be paired with a
GI to enhance product visibility and to influence
consumer choice. Both legal instruments may be
complementary and can be used simultaneously.
Having a GI designation for a product does not
limit the ability of individual producers within
the geographical space fromdifferentiating their
brands by using their own trademarks, or from
using other labels such as Certified Organic or
Fair Trade as strategic tools to obtain a higher
price than their competitors on the market.
Ethiopian Coffee producers employ a number
of IP-related strategies to promote their brands
on the market. For example, producers of the
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe brand of coffee utilise the
GI ‘Ethiopian Fine Coffee’, as well as both Fair
Trade and USDA Organic Certification in their
business model to build brand equity, expand
market share and ultimately obtain a price
premium for their product.
Countries within the Region with
National GI Legislation
Barbados
Dominican Republic
Jamaica
Saint Lucia
Trinidad and Tobago
It must be stressed that, for an OLP to compete
successfully in the market and derive maximum
benefit for agricultural producers, attentionmust
be placed on several areas, including: production
and product quality; the attributes of the
product(s); the uniqueness of the region of origin;
the choice of IP protection and management
system used; and the enforcement of the IPRs
associatedwith the OLP. These factors combined,
help to build brand value in the market and
improve competitiveness and, ultimately, enhance
the income of producers along the value chain.
Dr. Wendy Hollingsworth is a Consultant in Science, Technology, Innovation and Intellectual Property
Asset Management. She also lectures at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.
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Clearing the Hurdles