Sohoui gari, a pre-cooked cassava semolina produced in central Benin, has officially received its Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certificate. The African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) presented the document in Cotonou during a ceremony that also recognized Azimi peanut oil from Agonlin.
With this recognition, both Beninese products join the exclusive group of foods now legally protected across the seventeen member states of OAPI.
A culinary heritage now protected
The certification grants Sohoui gari legal protection against imitation and misuse of its name, while guaranteeing consumers the authenticity of the product they purchase.
Produced in Savalou, in the Collines Department, Sohoui gari is known for its slightly tangy flavor and distinctive grainy texture — qualities born from artisanal methods passed down through generations. These traditional techniques include precise steps of grating, fermenting, pressing, and roasting, all governed by strict production standards defined by the local women who have long mastered the process.
According to Benin’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Alimatou Shadiya Assouman, this achievement represents “a collective accomplishment that honors the entire nation,” as reported by SRTB.
The Sohoui gari can only be made using cassava tubers grown in the Collines region — a reminder that the land and the know-how are equally essential to its identity.
Benin’s third PGI product
Benin now counts three officially protected geographical indications. The first was the Allada Sugarloaf Pineapple, certified in October 2020, which paved the way for other local specialties to receive the same recognition.
Minister Assouman also announced that more Beninese food products could soon join this prestigious list.
The certification coincides with Benin’s “Consume Local Month,” an annual campaign promoting national products. This timing reinforces the government’s broader strategy to enhance the value of the country’s agro-food heritage.
The European Union and the French Development Agency (AFD) had identified Sohoui gari and Agonlin peanut oil as strong candidates for certification as early as 2020.
New economic opportunities on the gari
The PGI label opens new commercial perspectives for Beninese producers. It provides a mark of origin and quality that facilitates access to regional and international markets.
According to Minister Assouman, geographical indications serve as “a key instrument for economic transformation, stimulating local growth and structuring traditional agricultural sectors.”
The protection also helps combat unfair competition and safeguard ancestral know-how threatened by the standardization of production methods. Consumers, meanwhile, will be able to verify product authenticity through logos and official seals displayed on packaging.
With this recognition, Sohoui gari joins the ranks of Africa’s emblematic traditional foods — a proud symbol of Benin’s cultural and agricultural excellence.
