Geographical Indication (GI) options for Ethiopian Coffee and Ghanaian Cocoa

A Consideration of Communal Trademarks
Interviews were conducted in person and via telephone. The interviewees
were key personnel of stakeholder institutions in government and industry
working on matters related to the textile and leather sectors. Questionnaires were
then distributed to textile and leather enterprises using cluster sampling of small
enterprises – mostly micro and cottage enterprises. The selection of the clusters
for the study was narrowed by the existence of previous studies that provided
basic background on the two sectors (UNIDO, 2002, 2003; USAID, 2002). Three
cluster groups in three localities were surveyed via the questionnaires: leather
shoemakers in Aba; local textile producers in Itoku-Abeokuta; and leather tanners
in Kano.
In Aba, the shoe manufacturers are located in delineated zones hosting manufacturers
specialising in respective leather-based accessories, mainly shoes, bags,
boxes and belts. The shoemakers are located in four contiguous zones, and the
study focused on three of these zones hosting over 100 shoe lines: Shoe Plaza
with 41 lines, Bakassi Zone with 80 lines (with approximately 50% specialising in
leather shoes) and Imo Avenue, which also specialises in leather shoes. Figure 5.1
shows the structure of the Aba shoe cluster in relation to two of the three zones
studied (Bakassi Zone and Imo Avenue), in which stakeholders include: a national
association, a state association (at Abia State level), the two zonal associations,
product lines under each zone (coordinated by union structures), and then the
individual shops.
National Association of
Leather and Allied
Industries of Nigeria
Abia State Shoe
Makers and Allied
Products
Bakassi Zone
(zonal
association)
Imo Avenue
(zonal
assoication)
Eagle line
(Union)
Crystal line
(Union)
Jubilee line
(Union)
Harmony line
(Union)
Shop
A
Shop
B
Shop
C
Shop
D
Shop
E
Shop
F
Shop
G
Shop
H
Shop
I
Figure 5.1: Typical structure of organisation in the Aba cluster
(Bakassi and Imo Avenue zones)
Sources: As described to the authors by the interviewed executives of the zonal associations
and unions of the Aba cluster; additional information from UNIDO (2003).
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