Geographical indication protection and rural livelihoods: insights from India and Thailand.

The paper synthesises the results from empirical case studies undertaken in India and Thailand on the welfare impacts of geographical indications ( GIs). The findings indicate a positive effect from GI protection on the well-being of farm households and rural poverty. GI protection also preserves the traditional knowledge embedded in a GI good as well as the traditional heritage of the locality that produces the good. The findings support the call for stronger intellectual property rights protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]