7 bln GEL to be invested in Georgia's new 'Environmental Protection and Rural Development' plan for 2030
Increasing the export potential of Georgia and replacing import products with locally produced ones is the cornerstone of the 10-year plan. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The government of Georgia and the private sector of the country will invest about 7 billion GEL over the next nine years as part of a new programme 'Environmental Protection and Rural Development 2030'.
We have started working on long-term development plans. The government has already finalised the initial document, and today we are launching thematic debates. Let me remind you that in the past eight years, the volume of the government's investments in agriculture has amounted to about 2 billion GEL", said Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at the programme presentation.
He added that 'the key task must be':
- Employ as many citizens as possible and engage them in agriculture
- Develop and empower the Georgian regions
- Increase domestic production
- Increase Georgia's export potential
Increasing the export potential of Georgia and replacing import products with locally produced ones is the cornerstone of the 10-year plan.
Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili presenting 10-year plan. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture.
To achieve this goal Davitashvili says it is important to increase agricultural land first of all and create greenhouses.
As a result about 500,000 ha of land will be covered with annual and perennial crops, with a production capacity of about 3.7 million tonnes of crops with export potential", Davitashvili said.
In addition, Davitashvili said that meat and milk production will also double and Georgia will become an exporter of dairy products by 2030.
Our goal is for Georgia to receive $3 billion in revenue from agri-food exports. Georgia has the ability to replace the import of about $300-400 million worth produce, which will significantly improve Georgia's trade balance. Net exports from the agri-food sector to the Georgian economy by 2030 will be $2 billion", Davitashvili said.
These products have the potential to bring in $3 billion in exports:
- Wine and alcoholic beverages
- Fresh or frozen fruit
- Poultry, pork
- Frozen fish
- Wheat
- Corn
- Vegetable
Equipping farmers with agricultural machinery
Davitashvili said that in order for agricultural growth to be irreversible it is important that the state consistently assists farmers in providing agricultural machinery. He said that a large-scale financing programme for agricultural mechanisation will start this year, with its value making up 50 million GEL.
Photo: Ministry of Agriculture.
This programme will be financed with 50 million GEL from the state and will benefit about 6,000 farmers with at least two new pieces of agricultural machinery per village", Davitashvili said.
Land reclamation
Davitashvili said that small agricultural lands, arable lands, which are located in the lowlands of Georgia should be completely reclaimed:
By 2030 a total of 300,000 ha will have drainage and water supply. Proper reclamation infrastructure is one of the main conditions for increasing and utilising the agricultural land fund", he said.
Davitashvili added that in 2012-2020, about 430 million GEL was spent on reclamation infrastructure.
As a result, the country has about 200,000 ha of reclaimed agricultural land; The water supply and drainage areas are three times more than in 2012 when the water supply was available at 45,000 ha, while drainage area was 14,000 ha", Davitashvili said.
He announced that this year the state and the World Bank will invest 80 million GEL to develop land reclamation infrastructure.
The French Development Agency (AFD) has approved a grant of €300,000 under its technical expertise and experience exchange (FEXTE) fund to support the newly established National Agency for Sustainable Land Management and Land Use Monitoring of Georgia to promote the development of modern agriculture.
The Ministry of Agriculture has extended support programmes for business and agriculture, and offers grapes, hazelnuts and tea producers an effective support package, said Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia earlier today.
Georgia needs industrialisation of agricultural sector and increased productivity, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said earlier today at a presentation of the government’s agricultural anti-crisis plan.
The European Union, Sweden and Austria have allocated €1.16 million under the Local Development Initiative (LDI) to support the organic agriculture sector of Georgia.
What does it include?
Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava has presented a 10-year economic development strategy which covers 12 major areas, ranging from small business empowerment, investment attraction, to specific development policies and quantitative indicators in each key area that the country should achieve by 2025 and 2030.
Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze has presented a 10-year economic development plan which covers five major priorities: anti-armor, air, artillery, reconnaissance and engineering capabilities. He said that the plan is based on threats that Georgia may face in 2030 and the goal is to ensure the consistent and continuous development of the Georgian army in order to obtain high combat capability to cope with the challenges facing Georgia as well as to contribute to global security.
About 32 billion GEL (approximately $10.29bln/€8.73bln) will be spent on infrastructure and regional development in Georgia over the next 10 years, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has announced at the presentation of the 10-year development plan of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development of Georgia.
Topics of climate change and global security, as well as work of Georgian institutions for facilitating green growth, were on the agenda in Tbilisi on Wednesday, as the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, the Embassy of Italy and the Embassy of the United Kingdom co-hosted an event in the run-up to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).
Two Georgian teachers have been distinguished with the state Green Award for promoting environmental and agrarian education, the Georgian Agriculture Ministry announced on Monday.
Farmers involved in beekeeping and winemaking will receive 70 percent co-financing from the state to help them increase production of organic products in Georgia, with the Government approving a new Bioproduction Promotion Programme on Monday.
Georgia’s Environment Ministry has established the Environmental Education Coordinating Council, a body tasked with improving coordination of events in the field throughout the country, the Environmental Information and Education Centre announced on Friday.
The Georgian Government has approved the draft resolution on allocating eight locations in the coastline of Adjara, Samegrelo and Guria regions in the west for farming of fish and shellfish, Otar Shamugia, Georgian Agriculture Minister said on Monday.