Diagnóstico para o reconhecimento do açaí de Codajás-Amazonas como Indicação Geográfica

Abstract

Geographical Indications establish exclusive configurations of a product or service as originating from a place, region or country, when a certain reputation, characteristic or quality can be essentially linked to this particular origin, promoting the economic activity of regions or places, in addition to leveraging socioeconomic development. Açaí has national visibility, with the state of Amazonas being the second largest producer, reflecting significant impacts on the socioeconomic development of riverside populations, small producers/extractivists and local companies. In this perspective, the objective of this research was to evaluate whether the açaí produced in the municipality of Codajás, in the state of Amazonas, meets the requirements for the registration of a Geographical Indication. It is a qualitative, bibliographical, documentary research, built from secondary data. For that, a survey of requirements for geographical indication was carried out, such as: geographical name; Product Description; delimitation of the geographical area; and extraction/production process by which the geographic name became known. This survey was based on the Diagnosis for the Recognition of Potential Brazilian Geographical Indication, proposed by the Brazilian Service of Support to Micro and Small Enterprises (SEBRAE) with thirty questions that subsidized the construction of a draft of the Notebook of Technical Specifications of the Indication of Origin (IP) “CODAJÁS” for açaí. As a result, this study brings elements that show that the açaí from Codajás, in the state of Amazonas, has the potential to be recognized as a Geographical Indication and that initially it must be registered in the Indication of Origin modality with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), considering that Codajás became known as an açaí extraction/production center in the Amazon. It should be noted that the possibility of registration for the Denomination of Origin modality was not ruled out, however, it is necessary to verify other elements that meet the requirements of this modality. Finally, the recognition of IG Codajás would provide greater competitiveness in the national and international market, would add value to the product and would encourage extractivists to preserve the sustainable traditional method of production, but for this to occur, the mobilization of producers/extractors will be necessary.