18 Sep 2019

The Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) will collaborate with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and Japan Patent Office (JPO) to brand Chobe baskets.

Speaking at the launch of the Chobe basket branding project on Tuesday, registrar of intellectual property, Mr Timothy Moalusi said through the branding project, CIPA intended to obtain a collective mark for Chobe baskets and emulate the Taita Basket brand in Kenya.

He explained that while the request was made to WIPO in 2017, it was only approved in March this year. 

Mr Moalusi said the branding project was an important activity to CIPA as an authority responsible for protecting business interests. He further said branding Chobe baskets would help improve the quality of the baskets produced in the region as well as help derive maximum value for the weavers.

Mr Moalusi urged the weavers to work in unity in order to benefit from the project and to be able to use the brand as the whole district. Mr Bathusi Lesolobe of WIPO said the organisation was one of the specialised agencies of the United Nations based in Switzerland.

He said WIPO continued to pursue the achievement of sustainable development goals and was also committed to supporting member states in leveraging intellectual property for promoting innovation and creativity. He said the branding of Chobe baskets was one of WIPO’s goals and explained that through the outcome of the feasibility study on the baskets conducted early this year, WIPO considered the baskets to have the potential of being a regional brand. 

Department for Cooperatives Development assistant director, Mr Goloswang Ramogala said self-reliance was important, and he urged the weavers to form cooperatives in order to reap more from their efforts. He said through cooperatives they could also be able to meet the demand for the baskets and even complement each other.

Deputy director of JPO, Mr Shingo Tsuda said the workshop was funded by Japan Funds in Trust (FIT). 

He said the collaboration of WIPO and FIT started in 2008 to help African states to accelerate economic growth.

Mr Tsuda said in 2016/17 WIPO and FIT branded the Taita baskets in Kenya, adding that since the inception of the collaboration, the trust fund contributed a great deal in helping Africa and other Least Developed Countries (LCDs) understand how intellectual property could help their livelihoods and development.

The two-day workshop was attended by weavers from Parakarungu, Satau, Kachikau, Mabele, Kasane and Kazungula. It gave them an opportunity to learn other skills from master weavers from Shorobe in Ngamiland. ends