How a geographical indication is helping Senegalese communities make the most of a native fruit

For generations, communities in the Casamance region of southern Senegal have gathered wild madd fruit from forest vines. In the summer months, harvesters, often youth, climb the vines, which can sometimes reach over 40 meters high, and collect these orange fruity cylinders either by hand or with poles. It is a difficult job that can require ropes and good balance, but these harvesters have perfected this skill over years of practice.

The fruits themselves can reach up to 10 centimetres in length and are rich in vitamins A and C and contain antioxidants. Local communities mainly consume the fruit fresh, but only around two percent of collected fruits is processed into juices and sweet and savoury preserves.

Madd fruits are deeply rooted in the culture of the lower Casamance region. They grow in what is known as the "Sacred Woods", a traditional place of worship, so there is a strong link between cultural traditions and forest management in this part of Senegal. The leaves and roots are also valued for their therapeutic properties and have long been used in traditional medicine.

Special designation for a special fruit

Madd (Saba senegalensis) grows wild across West Africa, but the fruit specific to the Casamance region possess unique characteristics, shaped by its natural environment, specific ripening conditions and the traditional know-how of local communities.

The Casamance region, often referred to as the "green lung of Senegal", houses a rich ecosystem that contributes to the exceptional quality of this fruit. As a result, the madd of Casamance has developed distinct qualities that clearly set it apart from fruit harvested elsewhere.

Youth typically harvest fruit, while women form cooperatives to process and market madd products. But producers had little control over pricing and faced growing threats from unsustainable harvesting practices, over-exploitation and forest fires that threatened both the vines and the forest ecosystems on which they depend.

Mamadou Baldé, a madd picker who has been licensed in this work since 2020, explains, "I was mainly selling to the traders from Dakar who imposed their price on us."

That changed on 25 June 2024 when their tangy, golden treasures became the first Senegalese product to be officially registered as a Geographical Indication (GI) by the African Organization of Intellectual Property.

The GI registration gives madd producers name protection. Only fruit harvested from the designated Casamance region and processed according to strict specifications can be called "Madd de Casamance" and carry this protected designation.

The specifications prohibit cutting the vines, picking unripe fruit or using artificial ripening methods. Additionally, all processing must occur within 200 kilometres of harvest areas, keeping income and jobs local for the surrounding communities. These economic opportunities are particularly important for rural youth considering illegal migration or illicit trafficking of protected products.

The eight-year effort to secure legal protections for madd involved training hundreds of producers, establishing quality standards and creating new oversight structures. Partnering with the Centre for International Cooperation in Agronomic Research for Development (CIRAD) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) guided the process from initial feasibility studies through final certification, providing funding, technical expertise and organizational support. 

A local, non-profit organization, Économie Territoire et Développement Services (ETDS) implemented the project together with the communities and with the Association for the Protection and Promotion of the Geographical Indication Madd de Casamance (APPIGMAC), a body of local producers trained by FAO in governance, post-harvest handling and forest stewardship. They defined the specifications, which all members of the association must follow. These standards ensure that consumers receive a product of consistent and distinctive quality.

"The registration of the madd de Casamance as a geographical indication has allowed this wild fruit and its value chain to be more recognized by the public authorities as a sector that brings about sustainable local growth," explains Pape Tahirou Kanouté, Executive Director of ETDS.

With GIs offering guarantees of origin, quality and traceability, customers are generally willing to pay more for these products. In some markets, prices have increased by an average of nearly 20 percent.

Mamadou recounts, "The GI has allowed me to expand my professional network in the sector, particularly the processors to whom I deliver fresh GI madd. This has increased my marketing volumes of madd... Thanks to this work, I am very well-known, and I was able to buy a hectare to set up an orchard. I am very proud of that."

Globally, there are nearly 9 500 registered Geographical Indications across all continents.
In Africa, there are more than 200 GIs, including Penja pepper in Cameroon and "Attiéké des Lagunes", a fermented cassava couscous, in Côte d'Ivoire.

Preserving wild fruit and forests

Environmental protection remains central to geographical indications. The specifications include safeguards designed to prevent over-exploitation, making conservation profitable rather than restrictive. 

To ensure its long-term sustainability, the Senegalese Forestry Office, together with local village committees, is managing this valuable resource by mapping and monitoring production areas, ensuring forest fire management and launching reforestation and assisted natural reforestation efforts. In addition, community agreements have been implemented with rural populations involved in forest management.

For the community, maintaining the forests is a top priority. One harvester, Moustapha Diassy, says, "The job of a picker, and especially of GI madd picker, is a noble profession that allows me today to earn a living, provide for my family and save money... That's why I'm very committed to the defense of forests. I am even a member of a local association that defends the environment and especially the preservation of the madd. It's a fight for me because the madd gave me everything. I became what I am thanks to the madd." 

For rural communities in Casamance, as elsewhere in the world, geographical indications offer a way to capture more value from traditional knowledge and resources while preserving the environmental and cultural systems that sustain them.

The story and photos can be found here: https://www.fao.org/newsroom/story/mad-for-madd-de-casamance/en