Geographical indications and environmental sustainability: An institutional analysis of Mezcal

Résumé En

The objective of this contribution is to analyze the most pressing institutional and environmental issues that surround the Mezcal denomination of origin (DO) in Mexico, since its legal protection in 1994. To this end, an institutional analysis is carried out by integrating for the first time two theoretical frameworks dealing with formal and informal institutions: the Learning Regions (LR) and Localized Agri-food Systems (LAS). This process is complemented with a mixed type of interviews carried out with diverse stakeholders across the Mezcal value-chain, coming from the states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Michoacán. With respect to the first hypothesis, it is possible to claim that institutional proximity elements have played a positive role in the acknowledgement of the Mezcal DO in Mexico, but not necessarily within the initial legal structure of the DO. Alternative ways to certificate the Mezcal might emerged as a response to failures in the initial legal setting and changes in the legislation of Mezcal aimed at increasing its production. At the state level institutional proximity elements (either formal or informal) played an important role to find certification alternatives. Michoacan is an example of how formal institutions in the organized market can foster collective action with two objectives: to include this state into the Mezcal DO and to propose the federal acknowledgement of new Mezcal certifying entities, other than the Mezcal Regulatory Council. In Oaxaca, the role of formal institutions has been dubious, and informal institutions are characterized by important conflicts. Guerrero emerges as a very interesting example of how to develop a Participatory Agroecological Certification scheme (PAC) on top of the DO to guarantee the environmental sustainability and bio-cultural value of their Mezcal. With respect to our secondary hypothesis, it is possible to affirm that in Mexico the institutional architecture of the Mezcal denomination of origin has led to important environmental issues since its legal recognition in 1994. The initial legal setting of the Mezcal DO and its evolution have been the cause of significant environmental issues. Firstly, biodiversity considerations and extraction management practices of agave were weakly introduced in the book of specifications, leading to important issues between the Ministry of Environment and local producers upon the extraction of the agave. Secondly, changes of the tequila legislation have resulted in an increase of the agricultural frontier of agave in Mezcal producing regions with serious impacts on the landscape. Thirdly, in recent years new environmental issues have come to the forefront (water and soil) and already existing problems (biodiversity and energy-resources-waste) are intensified. Nonetheless, according to the actors interviewed, some institutional proximity elements were identified that strived to cope with these issues. In Michoacan formal institutions in the organized market have been characterized by collaboration between the members of the local university of the state and local producers. The institutional architecture of Oaxaca has been characterized by an important role of formal institutions and a minor relevance of informal institutions. Finally, in Guerrero both the formal and informal architectures have worked in favor of environmental sustainability.