Agriculture Minister discusses cooperation issues with World Bank reps

Issues of cooperation in the water supply to irrigation systems in Georgia and the strengthening of the capacity of the country’s Land Management Agency were discussed at the meeting between Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister, and World Bank mission representatives on Friday, the Ministry has announced.  

Calling the development of irrigation infrastructure a “priority” for Georgia, Shamugia stressed the importance of donor organisations’ assistance in this respect, also highlighting the question of attracting additional financial resources to help farmers have “stable access” to irrigation water and increase productivity.

A new investment project of the World Bank for a large-scale renovation of irrigation infrastructure in the country - entitled Georgia Sustainability of Agriculture, Irrigation and Land Development - was also discussed during the meeting. 

The sides also pointed out the World Bank’s support in implementing projects in the field of agriculture, irrigation and land management, contributing to the sustainable and consistent development of agriculture in the country, the Ministry said. 

Additionally, Shamugia briefed the Bank representatives on agriculture state projects and spoke of the importance of increasing the water supply areas in the country.

Frauke Jungbluth, the Head of Rural and Agricultural Sector for Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the South Caucasus, said Georgian agriculture had “great potential” and stressed the importance of developing a sectoral policy to obtain ecologically clean agricultural products.