Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

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The parties discussed the ways to promote inclusive and sustainable growth in rural areas within the ENPARD project

 The Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. Solomon Pavliashvili participated in the working meeting, where the parties highlighted issues for promoting inclusive and sustainable growth in rural areas, and the results achieved in rural development within the European Neighborhood Program for Rural and Agricultural Development (ENPARD).

Mr. Pavliashvili thanked the European Union and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for long-standing support to Georgia.

"For over a decade, several important projects have been implemented in Georgia with the support of the European Union and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the positive results achieved in rural and agricultural development in the country are a reflection of this support."

"The Ministry works actively and collaboratively with donors to overcome the challenges we still face in rural and agricultural fields, climate change, air quality, waste management, and other environmental areas," Mr. Solomon Pavliashvili stated.
 According to the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Georgia, Mrs. Anna Chernyshova, the Ministry, international partners, and local organizations should work together to overcome the existing challenges.

"Together with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, international partners, and local organizations, we are discussing future ways of how we can support Georgia in the European integration process and how to make rural development more inclusive and sustainable," said Mrs. Anna Chernyshova.
According to Mrs. Ketevan Khutsishvili, Programme Manager of the EU Delegation to Georgia, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture is the primary coordinator of the activities carried out by the European Union in Georgia in rural and agricultural development.
Programs implemented over the years, including ENPARD, support such directions as rural development and improvement of living conditions in rural areas, population involvement in the decision-making process, and the promotion of agricultural development.

During the working meeting, the results achieved in rural areas within the ENPARD were discussed in such areas as entrepreneurship support and job creation (co-financing and grant programs, state services in rural areas, promotion of traditional crafts, support of female entrepreneurs living in rural areas); Use of digital technologies and capacity building skills (digital transformation of small and medium enterprises, development of digital skills, development of youth in rural areas); Green economy (climate-smart agriculture, access to renewable technologies, green economy in rural areas). 
The stakeholders promoting inclusive and sustainable growth in rural areas attended the meeting.