Penja white pepper, produced in Cameroon, became the first product from the French-speaking region of Africa to get geographical indication protection at the EU in March.
The man behind the success is René Claude Metomo, the president of the local farmer’s cooperative, the Association of Penja Pepper Producers.
Claude Metomo also owns one of the biggest pepper plantations in the region, which probably made it easy for him to identify the need for recognition.
The European Commission granted the protection after a 17-month application process, during which Claude Metomo secured support from the African Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation Project, helping the farmers’ association fulfil the conditions required to secure a grant.
The recognition allows Penja Pepper Producers to use the name Poivre de Penja exclusively and prevent other producers from unfairly riding on the reputation of the product in the EU.
The pepper received its first protected designation of origin classification from the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle in 2013, spurring an increase in production of between 20% and 30% and fetching farmers a higher value for their products over the next two years.
The EU’s latest recognition is expected to boost its market value further.
Claude Metomo’s efforts to secure the rights of local farmers in Cameroon earned him a place in this year’s list.
