EU, UNDP support business ‘bootcamps’ for youth aimed at innovative rural development
Youth bootcamps are implemented under a broader programme of the European Union and UNDP, ENPARD-3. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
The European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have completed the fourth round of business bootcamps aimed at helping aspiring young entrepreneurs create and expand rural businesses.
The event was held online on December 12-13. More than 60 young people applied to participate in the bootcamps, but after selecting business ideas, 22 participants joined the startup training camp.
Youth bootcamps are implemented under a broader programme of the European Union and UNDP, ENPARD-3.
The first three bootcamps, held in November and December 2019 and October 2020, brought together some 110 young business entrepreneurs.
Masterclasses, training, business modeling and prototyping exercises were held during the boot camp. Participants in this intensive program went through all the stages of business planning from the idea of creation to implementation. In addition, through interactive exercises, they also learned about aspects of entrepreneurship such as exploring potential customers, evaluating local markets, developing marketing and media strategies, and identifying resources and partners.
At the end of each bootcamp, the best business ideas were selected for future support. 24 winner entrepreneurs have so far started work on new businesses with the potential to create 90 jobs in tourism, manufacturing and other sectors.
Youth are key drivers of the economic and social transformation of rural areas in Georgia. By empowering and proactively engaging young entrepreneurs we hope to enable them to unleash their innovative capabilities and realize their business ideas,” said Carl Hartzell, EU Ambassador to Georgia.
Youth entrepreneurship holds the promise of new jobs and new livelihoods for Georgia’s rural regions, and can give energetic young people a rewarding local alternative to leaving home…Moreover, as Georgia looks ahead beyond the pandemic shock, fresh and innovative business ideas can help drive a robust recovery,” said UNDP Head Louisa Vinton.
The EU and the UNDP are Georgia’s long-term supporters in promoting rural development. €179.5 million in EU assistance has been allocated to Georgia under the ENPARD programme between 2013 and 2022. This support aims to promote rural development policies and create economic opportunities for the rural population outside of agriculture.
The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Carl Hartzell and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, David Zalkaliani signed an agreement today to kick off the fourth phase of the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD IV), worth €55 million (about 125 million GEL).
The European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a GEL 9 million grant programme together with the Georgian Agriculture and Rural Development Agency (ARDA) to help Georgia’s rural regions respond to the economic and social challenges amid the coronavirus crisis.
A €10 million project will be launched in Georgia’s Black Sea region of Adjara to promote rural development and small and medium-sized businesses in the region.
Turning Georgia’s rural areas into modern villages
Georgia has released the first ever national rural development strategy outlining the country’s vision for 2017 - 2020 in key areas of rural development.
Over 700 Georgian farmers participated in training programmes last year organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with the support of the European Union (EU), under the ENPARD programme.
The European Union (EU) and UNDP are inviting rural entrepreneurs from the Georgian municipalities of Dedoplistskaro, Kazbegi, Lagodekhi and Tetritskaro to take part in the third round of the ‘Digitalise Your Business’ project, announces the UNDP Georgia.
Lawrence Meredith, Director for Neighbourhood East and Institution Building at the European Commission, is visiting Tbilisi, where he said EU financial aid for Georgia should be accompanied by the country’s ‘clear progress’ in reforming the judiciary, public governance, and protection of human rights.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday met Douglas Webb, the new head of the United Nations Development Programme in Georgia, to discuss results of the UNDP’s parliamentary project.