Geographical indications and rural bonds: narrating roles in Catalonia

• Catalan GIOs identify a main role of GIs in quality certification and promotion. • GIOs argue on a broad sociocultural activity of Catalan GIs beyond the economy. • GIOs highlight GIs potential as drivers of rural development in Catalonia. • GI products can be understood as assembled devices to their environments. This article explores how geographical indication organisations (GIOs) understand and explain geographical indications (GIs) as being a means to fostering agricultural and farming activities, improving rural communities and growing sustainability values. The research focused on the context of Catalonia (Spain), where 23 Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) operate for a range of food products. The study conducted qualitative research using interviews on 26 representatives and professionals regarding their activities, values and ways to face current challenges in the primary sector. In this context, GIOs articulated a narrative in the field of the economy, stressing relationships with markets (prices, promotion, commercialisation, product quality), but they also importantly commented on sociocultural initiatives in a range of aspects connected to rural communities (history and memory, territorial endeavour, generational replacement), and including the environmental issues (climate change, other species or landscapes). In this sense, the author explores the possibility of considering GIs as systems that interact with human and non-human agents in the rural. The focus on the narratives and self-reflection by GIOs helped to understand GIs role as drivers of territorial dynamism and rural resilience.