Geographical indication of coffee in Brazil: identification and effects of the critical success factors towards sustainability

The Geographical Indication (GI) is more than just a mechanism for protecting farmers. This mechanism, materialized by a sign of geographical identity, determines differentiation and added value in a complex process that requires an intense effort of governance and cooperativism. The aim of this study was to analyze the critical success factors for increasing competitiveness and sustainability in the process of geographical identification for certified coffee producers in the Espírito Santo do Pinhal region of Brazil. Factors such as market arrangements, production techniques, quality differentiation, price formation, cost structure, organization and articulation around the construction and maintenance of the market by producers in this region were analyzed. The proposed methodology used an analytical framework of the certification of origin market that correlates market practices with production arrangements in a longitudinal process, considering their challenges and impacts. The results indicate that critical success factors (CSFs) identified in the certification of GIs for coffee producers are related to strong cooperative and associative actions and the presence of entities that coordinate the acquisition process and establish the rules and obligations of those involved, always aiming to encourage investment in technology and technification in pursuit of efficiency and the quality of the final product. In addition, strict control of the production method, avoiding the use of production techniques that harm the environment with good coffee-growing practices, contributes to obtaining and maintaining the GI as well as to develop appropriate attributes of sustainability.