BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 22
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Green Economy: Sustainable Mountain Tourism & Organic Agriculture (GRETA) project will be targeted for four years for the development of organic agriculture sector in Georgia, which will also address various social and environmental problems in Georgia, Austrian Development Agency (ADA) told Trend.
According to the agency, the project aims to make local products produced in mountainous regions and less polluted environments better marketed and subject to different standards, which will also facilitate the introduction of the organic certification process.
“Developing organic production in Georgia is not only about creating healthy products and economically enhancing the country, but also about generation of income and the importance of protecting the environment. It also preserves unique local soils and eco-systems that are vital to the well-being of ours and our future generations. With the focus on Georgian Racha, Lechkhumi, Northern Imereti and Svaneti we hope to have an impact also on that end,” said the agency.
According to the agency, ADA is implementing the project which is funded by the EU (3 million euro), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (2.8 million euro) and ADA (1 million euro).
The project will also work actively in the development of agritourism in the target regions, as our country has the relevant resources and the opportunity to share the long-standing experience of EU countries to provide modern and sustainable agrotourism facilities in the highlands, the agency noted.
“In the mountainous regions such projects are of vital importance. Migration remains one of the biggest challenges of today, as empty villages speak, and without any human resources, it would be difficult and impossible to develop any sector, while the development of mountain tourism and organic agriculture, these two important areas through the GRETA project,” said Austrian Development Agency.
According to ADA, the project will support the highland regions of Georgia to improve business environment and solve the problem of migration through creating new and decent jobs and additional revenue opportunities for local people.
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