DIS4ME DIS4ME Homepage | DESERTLINKS Homepage | © DESERTLINKS 2004
English-EN | Español-ES | Italiano-I | Ελληνικά-GR | Portuguese-PT
Desertification Indicator System for Mediterranean Europe


1. Definition

Name

TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Brief definition Land devoted to traditional (non-conventional, speciality) certified, environmentally friendly products as a percentage of total Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA).
Unit of measure %

2. Position within the logical framework DPSIR

Type of Indicator Response

3. Target and political pertinence

Objective Contribution to measures to combat desertification.
Importance with respect to desertification Specialised agricultural products which have a strong socio-economic relationship with the territories and local agricultural system, play a significant role in rural economies. They are an efficient tool to preserve local knowledge about resources use. According to EU law, the PDO label may be applied to "agricultural and food products whose properties are essentially or exclusively derived from their geographical environment inclusive of natural and human factors and whose production, transformation and processing are effected in the place of origin". All stages of the production process must therefore be carried out within a delimited geographical area. The PGI label, on the other hand, may be applied to agricultural produce or foodstuffs whose qualities and properties or reputation are derived from their geographical origin and whose production and/or transformation and/or processing occur in the given geographical area. It is enough, therefore, for just one phase of the process of production to take place in the designated area. The purpose of the system was to protect the quality and tradition of certain products and thereby exploit their market potential. Promoting quality produce has become an important part of the agricultural policy of EU member states, which are also seeking to protect and hence benefit from traditional production methods. This policy encourages agricultural diversification and has also enabled consumers to make more informed choices in recent years. The system of quality controls, the regulations governing production methods, inspections and rule enforcement have all contributed to greater food safety and reliability.
International Conventions and agreements The CCD emphasizes that combating desertification must be tackled within the general framework of actions to promote sustainable development.
Secondary objectives of the indicator Awareness and public perception of desertification/environmental problems. The indicator tracks the success of instruments such as certified labelling that aim to provide consumers with information on the consequences of their consumption choices and behaviour, and thus encourage demand for, and use of environmentally sounder products. In this way the market itself becomes a driving force for environmental improvement.

4. Methodological description and basic definitions

Definitions and basic concepts

Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July 1992 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs [Official Journal L 208, 24.07.1992]. Corrigenda: [Official Journal L 27, 30.01.1997 and L 53, 24.02.1998].

Amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 535/97of 17 March 1997 [Official Journal L 83, 25.03.1997]

Definitions: a distinction is made between two classes of names:

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI): meaning the name of a region, specific place or country describing a product originating in that region, specific place or country and possessing a quality or reputation which may be attributed to the geographical environment with its inherent natural and/or human components;

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO): meaning the name of a region, specific place or country referring to a product originating in that region, specific place or country and whose quality or other characteristics are essentially or exclusively due to a particular geographical environment.

To qualify for a PGI or PDO designation, a product must comply with a specification containing the following: the name and description of the product; the definition of the geographical area; the methods of preparation; factors relating to the geographic environment; the inspection bodies; details of labelling and any legislative requirements that must be met. The type of link between the product and the geographical location is more stringent in the case of the PDO designation, the quality or other characteristics being due essentially or exclusively to its geographical environment.

Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 of 14 July 1992 on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs

A Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) does not refer to the origin but highlights traditional character, either in the composition or means of production.

Others national/regional Regulations

Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA) is the sum of Arable Land, kitchen gardens, permanent pasture and meadow, permanent crops.
Benchmarks Indication of the values/ranges of value
  • I° range: < Local Mean -St. Dev.
  • II° range: >Local Mean - St. Dev. < Local Mean
  • III° range: > Local Mean < Local Mean + St. Dev.
  • IV° range: > Local Mean + St. Dev
Methods of measurement

Ratio of :

Land under the application of EU quality label including Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical, Indication (PGI) [Reg 2081/92] and TSG, Traditional Speciality Guaranteed [Reg. 2082/92];

to:

Utilised Agricultural Area

Limits of the indicator No information available about land providing other national/local typical products (i.e. not EU recognized)
Linkages with other indicators Organic farming; Agri-environmental management; Protected areas; Net farm income

5. Evaluation of data needs and availability

Data required to calculate the indicator

Land under the application of EU quality label including Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical, Indication (PGI) [Reg 2081/92] and TSG, Traditional Speciality Guaranteed [Reg. 2082/92];

Utilised Agricultural Area
Data sources Agricultural Census; Data From Guarantee Consortia
Availability of data from national and international sources EU DG VI

6. Institutions that have participated in developing the indicator

Main institutions responsible University of Basilicata
Other contributing organizations Universities of Athens, Lisbon, Murcia

7. Additional information

Bibliography

Nomisma (2000), Prodotti tipici e sviluppo locale, VIII Rapporto Nomisma sull'agricoltura italiana

Willer H. & Yussefi, M. (2000): Organic Agriculture World-wide. Statistics and perspectives. Report from SOL (Stiftung Okologi & Landbau). SOL Sonderausgabe nr. 74

UN-DESA (2000) Changing consumption and production patterns: organic agriculture. Background paper prepared by the Division for Sustainable Development for CSD eight session 24 April - 5 May 2000, New York
Other references http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg06/qual/
Contacts Name and address Prof. Giovanni Quaranta
Dipartimento Tecnico-Economico per la Gestione del Territorio Agricolo-Forestale
Università della Basilicata
Via Macchia Romana
85100 Potenza
Italia
quaranta@unibas.it