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The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture expressed readiness to cooperate with the Iranian side in the field of agriculture.
The Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Khatia Tsilosani opened the closing conference of the EU-supported two-year ENPARD project “Strengthening Rural Development models in Georgia”.
The Deputy Minister thanked the EU and partner organizations for their active support of the project and outlined the importance of the results achieved within the project.
“The European future is a declared priority of our country and it is crucial, that with the EU support, the agricultural and rural development projects are implemented in the country. Under the frame of the ENPARD programme, with active involvement of our partner organizations, a number of important projects have been carried out in Georgia, the achievements of which we hope will have a positive impact on the development of the sector” – stated Khatia Tsilosani, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia’’
The conference was addressed by Vincent Ray, Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia.
““With EU support we have managed to set up three thriving local action groups bringing together public, private and non-governmental representatives which have stimulated local economies and supported over 600 new jobs. The EU is happy to see that the LEADER approach used for years in the EU to stimulate rural areas also works in Georgia, and we look forward to keep developing this approach further in the years to come’’
Under the conference, the Deputy Minister visited the exhibition of the EU supported rural development initiatives.
It is noteworthy that the project, implemented by Mercy Corps, People in Need and CARE Austria, in partnership with the European Association for Rural Development, has been running since 2017 with the aim of promoting a community-based rural development approach in Borjomi, Lagodekhi and Kazbegi municipalities.
It is very important, that, by sharing best European practice in rural development, the project helped to introduce the European LEADER approach in these three municipalities, on the basis of which local development groups were formed, local development strategies developed and EU grants awarded to over 200 initiatives.
Representatives of public, private organizations and civil society attended the conference.