Marie-Antoinette Haba's viewpoint
Interview with Marie-Antoinette Haba, the focal point for geographical indicators at the Ministry of Agriculture in Guinea
What is the ‘Café Ziama Macenta’ GI?
The characteristics of Ziama Macenta coffee come from its geographical location in the Mount Ziama forest in Guinea, the microclimate, and the know-how of local producers. These all come together in a complex agroforestry system based on coffee trees. All operations (planting, harvesting, sorting, drying, packaging and storage of coffee shells, hulling, winnowing, grading and bagging of commercial coffee) must take place in this geographical area according to precise specifications (a ‘code of practice’).
What are the advantages of having a GI?
Specific quality - when proven and mobilised by stakeholders themselves - can serve as a driving force for local development. Today, GI green coffee sells for 25,000 GNF (€2.59) per kg, compared to 13,000 GNF (€1.35) per kg for non-GI green coffee. Ziama Macenta coffee is sold in regional and European niche markets where consumers are ready to pay more to get high quality coffee. The producers’ knowledge and respect for their land guarantees more environmentally friendly farming. Preserving this environment maintains the reputation of their production, adds value, creates jobs and increases their bargaining power.
What are the lessons to be learnt from this experience?
Firstly, strong motivation and organisation are needed to carry such a project. Involving all stakeholders is of paramount importance. Secondly, the Guinean government needs to support local producers and help them develop technical and financial partnerships to mobilise the resources necessary to properly identify, upgrade and develop their products. The Guinean context has major constraints: unorganised actors and markets, lack of infrastructure, and poor access to finance for producers. With an output of 18 t and a purchase contract with a French company in 2013, the producers were able to make good use of this opportunity. But challenges remain. For instance, they were unable to produce enough and so their contract was suspended in 2014. The partnership should be maintained in 2015 provided both parties agree.
