BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 29
By Maryana Akhmedova – Trend:
Despite a tough year due to COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia continues to move forward with its current projects in the agriculture sector, according to the country's Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.
State initiatives
The Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia has developed and implemented a state program in 2021, which promotes rapid and effective development of the agricultural sector in the country.
According to the ministry, the program is being implemented by Rural Development Agency.
The aim of the state program of co-financing agricultural mechanization is to increase the amount of agricultural machinery. The objective of the program is to increase access to financing for the purchase of agricultural machinery through co-financing.
Also, the “Plant the Future” project was initiated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and is implemented by the Rural Development Agency within the state budget support. The aim is to improve the efficiency of agricultural land use in Georgia, support agricultural products import-replacing and increasing export potential, as well as to stimulate the creation of nursery farms and the cultivation of perennial gardens through financial and technical assistance.
Cooperation with international organizations
Irrigation and Land Market Development Project (in progress) - Considering the remaining challenges in the agricultural sector, Georgian government has decided to invest in the ongoing restoration of irrigation infrastructure in the country. The project is aimed at restoring and reconstructing irrigation networks of selected priority irrigation schemes. The project is financially backed by the World Bank ($50 million). The project was launched in May of 2020 and is to wrap up by September 2022.
Hazardous Waste Management Project (in progress) - is aimed to help develop a comprehensive and environmentally acceptable hazardous waste management system in Georgia, which eventually should result in cleaner and safer environment. Hazardous waste is being collected, processed and disposed of in accordance with the EU best practices. The project is ongoing since 2019 and should be finished by December 2024.
The ENPARD III - Improving the Agriculture Sector in Georgia (in progress) - supported by the EU, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the project aims to raise competitiveness in Georgia's agricultural sector. Improved access to finance, better services for farmers, rural households, cooperatives and other small and medium enterprises in rural areas are the main objectives of the project. Overall grant for the project amounts to 12 million euros, and it should be finished by November 2022.
The EU Innovative Action for Private Sector Competitiveness in Georgia Implemented by Four UN Agencies (in progress) - a project funded by the UNDP Administered Donor Joint Trust Fund. The initiative is aimed at strengthening the capacity of policy makers and other stakeholders to identify and develop clusters, developing a cluster approach in the packaging and seed/seedling sectors, developing and supporting strategic investments in companies deemed necessary to improve the cluster, and taking migration into account in SME development. Cost of the entire project is $1.6 million, should be finished by November 2023.
USAID - The USAID, one of the main Georgia’s partners, is supporting the country’s agriculture sector as well. The USAID five-year Agriculture Program worth $23 million (2018-2023) is aimed at accelerating the growth of agricultural sub-sectors that demonstrate great potential for creating jobs, increasing incomes and increasing incomes of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a special focus on berries, culinary herbs, stone fruits, perishable vegetables, seed fruits, table grapes, tangerines and nuts. The program is being carried out with the support of the Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture – an international agricultural development organization.
Czech Development Agency's projects in Georgia
Sustainable forestry in Aragvi Protected Area - Forest inventory Czech Development Agency has been carrying out several plans in Georgia, such as Forest inventory and implementation of sustainable forestry for the Aragvi protected area (Gudauri, Mtiuleti, Georgia). The objective of the project, which focuses on the forests of the Aragvi Protected Area in Georgia, is to implement sustainable management while maintaining and naturally evolving mountain forest ecosystems. The project has been executed from 2021 to 2024.
Aragvi Protected Landscape Area - The Agency has also been running a different project in Georgia’s the Aragvi Protected Area. Program for the sustainable development of the Aragvi Protected Landscape Area and its communities is a project aimed at the economic development of the district, in particular, by encouraging tourism and agriculture at the community level. The project has been in progress since 2018 and is to last until 2023.
Sustainable development of beekeeping in Georgia (to be completed in 2021) - Another initiative of the Czech Development Agency is the Sustainable development of beekeeping in Georgia. The project envisages extensive analysis, study of the state and potential uses of the forest and the subsequent development of a forest management plan. This will be followed by capacity building in the field of wood processing and the creation of small logging teams. A separate part of the project is an extensive education covering both the issues of timber processing and information about the broader functions of the forest. Thus, the project is aimed at increasing the productivity of beekeeping in Georgia by introducing new effective procedures and advanced production practices. The project has been going on since 2016 and should wrap up in 2021.
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