Sale of Wagashi Gassirè cheese in northern Benin © ACED
To stabilize their cows’ milk during transportation to their homes, women from the Borgou-Alibori region in northern Benin found that adding Apple of Sodom (Calotropis procera) leaves accelerated milk coagulation. The cheesemakers adopted this process to obtain the curds for Wagashi Gassirè. Today, this cheese is the main – if not the only – source of income for these Fulani women.
The characteristics of Wagashi Gassirè cheese are strongly associated with the Borgou-Alibori region through its combination of natural factors (climate, vegetation) and cultural and human factors (extensive livestock farming, local cattle breeds, grassland grazing and cheesemaking know-how).
This soft cheese is one of the country’s most popular local products. In view of the high level of demand, more and more new actors are using the Wagashi Gassirè name to sell a lower quality cheese.
In order to protect and promote the authenticity of this product, the GI Support Fund recently launched a project aimed at implementing a “Wagashi Gassirè” geographical indication. It is led by the Centre d’Actions pour l’Environnement et le Développement Durable (ACED - Centre for action on environment and sustainable development), with technical support from GRET and CIRAD. “Implementing this geographical indication should provide several benefits for the producers of this cheese, such as a monopoly market and higher income”, says Dramane Guetido, Coordinator of the Association Nationale des Organisations Professionnelles des Eleveurs de Ruminants (ANOPER - National association of professional ruminant livestock farming organizations).
© ACED
The aim of the first phase of the project was to identify all actors in the dairy sector, from production to sales of local products. These actors were informed and made aware of the concept of geographical indications. According to Laurenda Todome, Director of Operations at ACED, “the geographical indication will serve to identify authentic Wagashi Gassirè on the market and to guarantee the origin of the cheese bought by consumers. For actors in the Wagashi Gassirè sector, the GI would represent the culmination of efforts made in recent years to improve and protect the quality of this local product”.
In the second phase, the project activities will facilitate the characterization of Wagashi Gassirè and the identification of growth markets (national or regional) for this product. Traceability systems will also be put in place.
Consultation workshop for the launch of the “Wagashi Gassirè” GI project © ACED
The aim of the first phase of the project was to identify all actors in the dairy sector, from production to sales of local products. These actors were informed and made aware of the concept of geographical indications. According to Laurenda Todome, Director of Operations at ACED, “the geographical indication will serve to identify authentic Wagashi Gassirè on the market and to guarantee the origin of the cheese bought by consumers. For actors in the Wagashi Gassirè sector, the GI would represent the culmination of efforts made in recent years to improve and protect the quality of this local product”.
In the second phase, the project activities will facilitate the characterization of Wagashi Gassirè and the identification of growth markets (national or regional) for this product. Traceability systems will also be put in place.
With its first series of podcasts, CIRAD invites listeners on a world tour of food systems. The fourth stage takes us to Laos, a country reputed for its teas, where the legal framework for geographical indications has enabled producers to structure themselves in order to avoid the standardization of products, and to showcase their traditional know-how.
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