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Otar Shamugia: "Amelioration is the area where our farmers need maximum support today, especially in the light of climate change"
"Irrigation is critical to the agricultural sector and, in general, to the country's economic system. Today, our farmers need maximum support in the field of irrigation, especially in light of climate change. Farmers must have access to irrigation water. Therefore, it is important to update the current infrastructure, adopt modern technologies, and install drip irrigation systems and other necessary mechanisms. I would like to point out that, as a result of the implemented measures, the irrigated area has increased 3.5 times in the last ten years:
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"It is already possible to irrigate more than 160 thousand hectares from 45 thousand hectares of agricultural land. This is the result of large-scale projects that we have implemented; however, there is still work to be done. We actively collaborate with several donors, including the World Bank, European Investment Bank, French Development Agency, and Asian Bank; we expect to have an agreement with the respective donors by next year. In total, we intend to invest approximately USD 250-300 million in irrigation and land management," stated Mr. Otar Shamugia, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, on the ''Business Partner'' program.
According to the Minister, the budget funding will be added to the amount allocated by donors, which is approximately GEL 70 million, and will be increased on an annual basis.
"We have worked with the World Bank on land irrigation. Donors are also funding this area, which is critical. The mobilization of one billion GEL means that we will be able to carry out large-scale rehabilitation projects, increasing irrigated areas and improving the water supply for farmers. It is critical to ensure a consistent supply of water during the drought period when farmers are in desperate need of water. ‘’ stated Mr. Otar Shamugia.