Geographical Indication leads to pepper festival

The Representative Group of the Protected Geographical Indication Penja Pepper has announced the first “Penja International Pepper Festival”, to run from 24 to 26 June in Penja, Cameroon. The event will have the theme “Let’s Discover the Authenticity of Penja Pepper” and is intended to highlight the Penja pepper, which is grown in the volcanic soil of the Penja valley. The Penja pepper is now recognised as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in sub-Saharan Africa, with the PGI having been awarded by OAPI in 2013 and later validated by the European Union. The award of PGI status has already enhanced the status of Penja Pepper, with the market price having increased nearly seven-fold since 2008. Penja Pepper cultivation reportedly employs over two thousand people directly, and takes place over a thousand hectares.