News
A new project to support agricultural cooperatives and small commercial farms
The European Union and the French Development Agency (AFD) are launching a new project to support agricultural cooperatives and small commercial farms.The conference dedicated to the launch of the project 'Financial, extensional and cooperative support for Georgian farmers' (FinExCoop Georgia) was opened by the Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, George Khanishvili, Programme Manager for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Safety at the Delegation of the European Unioin to Georgia, Georges Dehoux and Ms. Gaëlle Assayag, Head of AFD’s regional office for the South Caucasus.
''The new four year project with a budget of four million euros will promote entrepreneurship, create new jobs and increase the export of new products. The importance of the new project is compounded by the fact that we face challenges in product quality and quantity. With the efforts of the Government of Georgia, Georgian producers have an access to a market of 2.5 billion people, where products are exported without customs barriers. Thus, it is important to produce goods in the country which meet the requirements of the international market. This project will be another step taken in this direction. It is noteworthy, that from 2020, the Government of Georgia will continue funding above mentioned programs; In some cases, the volume of funding will be even increased. The farmers have an opportunity to get engaged in the programs supported by Georgian Government and donor organizations, which will facilitate to the development of medium and small-scale farms”- said the First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Giorgi Khanishvili.
According to the Programme Manager for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Safety at the Delegation of the European Unioin to Georgia Georges Dehoux, the new project will make a significant contribution to the EU support for agricultural development in Georgia.
The project will help SMEs to better use the opportunities of new markets, including opportunities which Georgia has under the agreement of deep and comprehensive free trade area (DCFTA) between Georgia and European Union.
The project is financed by the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) and the French Development Agency (AFD) and will be implemented by the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Mercy Corps, Rural Development for Future Georgia (RDFG) and Chambre d’Agriculture du Loiret.