Using geographical indications for signalling quality and reducing transaction costs of marketing Uyui honey from Tanzania

A high proportion of commodities in African countries face limitations in penetrating international markets, mainly because of low quality and high transaction costs (TCs) of marketing. This study responds to two research questions. One, does honey from the Uyui district in Tanzania has the potential for geographical indication (GI) labelling, potentially enhancing quality? Two, can GI labelling reduce TCs and improve market access? 83 beekeepers, 50 honey traders and 50 consumers were selected randomly for interviews in Uyui District and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Both primary and secondary data were collected on, cultural and historical identity, the local ecosystem, marketing and value addition technologies. The policy and legal framework for GI certification were also reviewed. Seven honey samples from Uyui District were tested for physicochemical characteristics and compared with the international standards. Since there is no GI labelled honey in Tanzania currently, a hypothetical case was crea...