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Training On Licensing Underway for Coffee Growers
Ethiopian coffee growers and exporters are being trained on licensing in a workshop intended to educate them on all there is to know about negotiations and subsequent agreements made in the context of the international coffee market.
The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office which, in collaboration with partners, is hosting the training ,said the training aims to equip coffee growers and marketers with current understanding of the trade marketing and licensing initiative and to enable to present and promote the license agreement to international coffee distributing companies.
The four day program also aims to develop and bring together a network of licensed distributors in partnership with Ethiopia.
Over the last two years, EIPO , in collaboration with local and international partners, has endeavored to secure trade licenses for Ethiopian quality in a bid to boost foreign currency earnings.
Addressing the workshop which kicked off at the Ararat Hotel on Tuesday, State Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Yakob Yala,highlighted the need for strenghtened interlectual capacity and for preparing to cope up with the increasingly dynamic international market.
"We must have the confidence and the full knowledge of our rights, our powers, and our options as we approach our buyers overseas to join our network of licensed distributors," he told participants of the workshop.
"While using trademarks and licensing agreements is a common enough affair in many international industries and global distribution chains, it is surprisingly, almost unprecedented in coffee," the State Minister added.
The training programme is part of the Ethiopian Coffee Trade marking and Licensing Initiative spearheaded by EIPO and supported by the UK Department of International Development.
The course is being run by the EIPO and Light Years IP, a Washington based NGO specializing in intellectual property strategies and capacity building for developing countries, acting as advisers to Ethiopia on the Initiative.
Representatives of Ethiopian Fine Coffee Sector, farmers' cooperative unions and exporters as well as representatives of government bodies are attending the workshop.
EIPO Director General Getachew Mengistie said on the occasion there were ample opportunities to promote Ethiopia's concept of long-term partnership and the new network of licensed distributors in the coming months.
"EIPO has planned a number of overseas marketing activities and participation at the upcoming Specialty Coffee Association of America Annual Conference in Long Beach California and the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe's annual event in Antwerp, Belgium, both to be held next month. " "The timing of this event is strategic", Getachew Mengistie noted, "We are ensuring the readiness of all protagonists for the fine coffee sector to promote Ethiopia's 'new deal' for international buyers and distributors of our fine coffee brands, Sidamo, Harar and Yirgacheffe." Meanwhile Getachew was also telling the participants the current progress of the coffee dispute with the giant coffee marketer, Starbucks.
"Though Starbucks said it wouldn't oppose Ethiopia's initiative there is still an outstanding difference," he said.
He however indicated that they planned to sit and discuss with the Starbucks in the coming May 1 and 2 adding that encouraging results obtained evidence the correctness of Ethiopian's approach.
"This lesson learned will be used in capturing the intangible vales incorporated in other products," he added.
The Office has helped secure trade license certificates for Sidama, Yirgachefe and Harrar coffees from most of the 30 countries it applied to and similar efforts are underway with the rest of the countries, including new ones.
According to the reports, Starbucks insists that trademarks would damage Ethiopian farmers, and suggested that Geographical Indication certificates, or GIs, would be more useful.
GIs are names or signs used on products that refer to a certain geographical location.
Official GI certificates protect products as long as its characteristics are a result of the particular qualities of that region, such as agricultural conditions.
Ethiopia's Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development Yacob Yala has urged all stakeholders to step up the ongoing efforts of gaining fairer prices for Ethiopian coffee.
The livelihood of many poor farmers depends on the success of Ethiopian coffee in overseas markets, he added when opening a four-day training workshop on "Ethiopian Coffee Trade-marking and Licensing Management" here Tuesday.
Using trademarks and licensing agreements is a common enough affair in many international industries and global distribution chains but it is surprisingly almost unprecedented in the coffee trade.
Training in intellectual property and brand management can directly help coffee exporters build their business and help farmers‘ revenues and incentives grow, Yacob added.
Presenting the progress of the Ethiopian initiative in coffee trade marking and licensing to participants, Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO) Director-General Getachew Mengistie said trademarks for the Sidamo, Harar and Yirga Chefe brands have been secured in more than 28 key international markets.
Negotiation with US coffee retailing giant Starbucks has come up with positive results as the company has begun responding to Ethiopia's requests, the director said.
The training is part of the Ethiopian Coffee Trade-marking and Licensing Initiative spearheaded by EIPO and supported by Britain's Department of International Development, a press release circulated at the workshop said.
The objective of the workshop is to enable participants present and promote the license agreement to international coffee distribution companies and to develop and bring together a network of licensed distributors in partnership with Ethiopia.
The course is being run by the EIPO and Light Years IP, a Washington-based non-governmental organization (NGO) specializing in intellectual property strategies and capacity building for developing countries, acting as adviser of fine coffee brands, Sidamo, Harar and Yirga Chefe.
Representatives of the private sector, cooperative unions and governmental bodies, as well as personnel from Ethiopian embassies abroad are attending the training.
EIPO has planned a number of overseas marketing activities and participation at the upcoming Specialty Coffee Association of America Annual Conference in California in the United States and the specialty Coffee Association of Europe's annual event in Antwerp, Belgium, both to be held next month.
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