Agriculture Ministry, UN food organisation sign deal to improve productivity, competitiveness of Georgian farms
The agreement between the sides also provides assistance to the country’s adaptation to climate change in the agriculture and agrofood sectors. Photo: Georgian Agriculture Ministry
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Improving productivity and competitiveness of agricultural farms in Georgia, and providing assistance to micro-, small-, and medium-sized agriculture and food production enterprises is the subject of an agreement signed between Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister, and Raimund Jehle, the Representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Friday.
Strengthening the country’s export opportunities, and facilitating the implementation of information and consultation service strategy for farmers, is also part of the FAO Country Programming Framework, signed by the parties. The UN organisation will also support the Ministry in introducing food safety standards and implementing traceability systems, beneficial for both consumers of agricultural products, the Agriculture Ministry said.
Set to run between 2021-2025, the agreement additionally aims at developing Georgia’s agrofood systems and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals within FAO’s new Strategic Framework 2022–2031.
The programme also intends to support smallholders and family farms in building up productivity and competitiveness, and assist them in improving livelihoods and agrofood systems with targeted support for rural populations, “especially for disadvantaged groups, including women and conflict-affected people,” FAO in Georgia said.
Jehle noted FAO would support the transformation of food systems in Georgia through the agreement, saying “leaving no one behind by using the potential of agrofood system transformation will be a key principle for support to Georgia.”
The Georgian Minister said the FAO would implement a $10 million “large-scale project” funded by the European Union under its European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development, adding the project would provide “additional assistance” to the country in food safety and introduction of standards to “increase the potential for Georgian products to be exported to EU member states.”
The agreement between the sides also provides assistance to the country’s adaptation to climate change in the agriculture and agrofood sectors.
Environmental reforms in Georgia, projects implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the country and future cooperation avenues were discussed by Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister, and Nick Beresford, the UNDP Resident Representative in Georgia, on Tuesday.
Challenges in Georgia’s winemaking sector and diversification of international markets for promoting sales of wine from the country were in the focus of a meeting between Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister, Kelly Degnan, the United States Ambassador to Georgia, and Peter Wiebler, the Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Georgia mission, on Thursday.
Reforms in the forestry sector, air and water resources, waste management and trade relations were the topics covered at a meeting between Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister and Carl Hartzell, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday.
There will be “no delays” in terms of product supplies for Georgian consumers, Georgian Agriculture Minister Otar Shamugia said on Thursday.
Shamugia made the comment responding to speculation over a possible lack of availability of products in connection to the conflict in Ukraine, while also urging the public to refrain from buying in bulk to avoid an artificial increase in prices.
Representatives of the European Union and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation visited the Dmanisi Cattle Breeding Station in southeastern Georgia to observe the facility that received a grant of 462,000 GEL ($15,049/€13,848) to upgrade its machinery and equipment, EU in Georgia said on Friday.
Japan has allocated over $920,000 to the United Nations Development Programme in Georgia for supporting the country’s “sustainable and climate-friendly” forest management, the UNDP’s Georgian office announced on Thursday.
Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister, on Monday said the Government was allocating ₾16 million ($6 mln) to promotion of Georgian products in “strategic” foreign markets, including in the United States and Europe, this year.
Cooperation between Georgia and France in agriculture was in the focus of a meeting between Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister, and his French colleague Marc Fesneau on Thursday.