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.