On August 20, 2026, at the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, the wild fruit known as the Madd of Casamance secured international recognition, marking a historic milestone for West African agriculture and intellectual property rights.
A Historic First in Geneva for African Agro-Food Products
For nearly twenty years, agricultural producers across West Africa fought to put their indigenous treasures on the map. That persistence finally paid off on a Thursday afternoon in Switzerland, when the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) officially received the international registration certificate for the Madd of Casamance from Senegal, alongside the prized Penja pepper from Cameroon.
This achievement represents a monumental first for the entire OAPI network. These two exceptional items have officially joined the global heritage of Protected Geographical Indications, commonly known as PGIs. More importantly, they stand as the very first PGIs from the OAPI zone to gain registration under the elite Lisbon System for the international protection of designations of origin and geographical indications.
Two Decades of Diplomatic and Agricultural Persistence
Securing this status was no overnight administrative win. According to official briefings released by OAPI, this historic consécration crowns nearly twenty years of grueling institutional effort. The journey began back in 2005 with the historic Ouagadougou Declaration, setting off a chain reaction of policy initiatives.
Momentum steadily built over the next two decades, highlighted by the pivotal Ministerial Conference on the International Protection of Geographical Indications held in Abidjan in 2022. Yet, the real turning point arrived on December 15, 2022, when OAPI officially acceded to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement. Without that crucial diplomatic adhesion, today’s cross-border recognition simply would not have been possible.
Unlocking Global Markets for Casamance Producers
Long before earning global credentials in Geneva, the Madd—derived from the vine Spondias mombin or more specifically Landolphia heudelotii in the forests of southern Senegal—was deeply protected at home. It earned national distinction and recognition across the wider OAPI region, and later caught the discerning eye of the European Union Commission.
Now, with formal international backing, local harvesters and agricultural cooperatives in the Casamance region possess a powerful commercial shield against counterfeiting and industrial appropriation.
What Comes Next for African Geographic Indications
Regional authorities have issued a clear call to action, urging agricultural stakeholders to aggressively utilize these new protection instruments. How will local cooperatives capitalize on this newfound global prestige in the coming harvest seasons?
