MAIL Held GI Consultation Workshop

Nov 4, 2019
The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (MAIL, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the establishment of Afghanistan’s first Geographical Indication (GI) System today.
The workshop was attended by officials of MAIL, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, European Union, and FAO.
The project will allow the Afghan government to set up a national GI system, which will help increase the income of the smallholder producers and agribusinesses in the prioritized and global markets.
Geographical Indication (GI) in Afghanistan begin on the top three crops such as Khost’s Pine nuts, Herat’s saffron, and Kandahar’s pomegranates and in the near future will indicate other products such as pistachio, raisin, dried apricot, almond and carpet.
Mahbobullah Nang, technical deputy minister for agriculture, irrigation, and livestock at MAIL, said that the system helps to indicate a product produced in different areas of Afghanistan and export it aboard under Afghanistan’s mark and brand.
Meanwhile Andreas Fischer Branicol, deputy head of EU delegation in Afghanistan, said that the aim of the project is marketing and supporting quality Afghan products, adding that the system allow the products originating from a specific town, country or region.
Mr. Rajendra Aryal, FAO representative in Afghanistan, also said that the system is a tool for value addition and helps farmers earn much profit.
Geographical Indication (GI) is an intellectual property right allowing to protect a name or sign used to identify products originating from a specific geographical locations or origin where a specific quality, reputation, or other characteristics of these products are essentially linked to their origin.