EU, FAO, Georgian Agriculture Ministry issue grants to bolster food production in Georgia amid COVID-19 crisis
The investments mainly focus on the value chains of vegetables, potatoes, cereals, beef and dairy produce. Honey and wine producers will also benefit from the grants. Photo: enpard.ge.
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The European Union (EU), Georgia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have issued grants for a total amount of 2.2 million GEL (about $690,651/€641,567) to support food production and security in Georgia amid the COVID-19 crisis.
The investments mainly focus on the value chains of vegetables, potatoes, cereals, beef and dairy produce. Honey and wine producers will also benefit from the grants.
These grants will allow farmers, cooperatives, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to invest in equipment and installations such as tractors, greenhouses with a contribution from the EU’s European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD), that will cover 40-60 per cent of the costs of investments. The total amount of the investments approved exceed 5 million GEL (about $1,569,661/€1,458,108).
EU Ambassador to Georgia, Carl Hartzell shares this news on his Twitter account:
Happy to announce that EU will award 44 agricultural grants worth 2.2 million GEL to bolster food production/security and jobs in Georgia through #ENPARD programme w/ @FAO @agricultureGEO.
— Carl Hartzell (@CarlHartzellEU) April 24, 2020
➡️https://t.co/wmvm4di9K6#EU4Georgia pic.twitter.com/w8cRGiKSWd
In these challenging times, the EU remains one of the most dedicated partners to Georgia. Together with FAO, we are actively working to help Georgian farmers and producers to develop their farming activities. This is a particularly important initiative in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as the country needs to increase its food security and resilience capacities”, said Carl Hartzell, EU Ambassador to Georgia.
Javier Sanz Alvarez, the coordinator of FAO-EU projects declared that regardless of hard emergency times, FAO and EU will keep on supporting farmers, producers and SMEs in Georgia.
More than ever, we need to help our farmers, and now, spring time, is the critical period to get prepared, cultivate and together prevent any food shortage in the country. We don’t stop, we support you”, Sanz Alvarez said.
SMEs, cooperatives and farmers will be able to present their investment proposals to FAO and EU. Information about the application cycles, application submission, procedures and promoted investments is available on the website enpard.ge.