Author(s): Sunil Sudhakar Varnekar and Dr. Upankar Chutia

Abstract: Regardless of location, actors at the local, national, and international levels have an impact on livelihood decisions through their institutional structure, policies, and processes. The emergence of intellectual property rights (IPR) under the WTO framework is an example of how decisions made at the international level have an impact on millions of people's means of subsistence around the world. National governments have been forced to pass new regulations as a result, like the Geographical Indications Act of India, which was passed in 1999. Developing nations have applauded the inclusion of geographic indications (GIs) under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement of the WTO for its ability to advance rural development, generate wealth, and safeguard traditional knowledge. The price people are ready to pay for a GI certified product is directly related to the product's quality. This necessitates a complete reorganisation of the supply chain to conform to quality standards as well as to guarantee that GI money is distributed fairly along the supply chain. To promote trust and ease access to the market, this calls for developing relationships between stakeholders at all levels. Drawing on the success examples of GIs from around the world, the article addresses the major obstacles to GI implementation in the traditional livelihood sector, such as handloom weaving in India. GIs are a vital component of IPR.

Pages: 107-111 | Views: 401 | Downloads: 160

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