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

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The results of the first half of 2023 were summarized at the fourth meeting of the Steering Committee of the ECO. Georgia Project.

The members of the Steering Committee of the project "Enabling the Implementation of Georgia's Forest Sector Reform (ECO.Georgia)" discussed the challenges and progress achieved in the forestry sector in the first half of 2023.

Mrs. Nino Tandilashvili, the First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, made opening remarks at the meeting.

"We launched the forestry sector reform a few years ago, which was followed by the adoption of legislative amendments resulting in the creation of a new Forest Code. Meanwhile, an international multi-component program funded by the Green Climate Fund was launched to promote forestry sector reform in the country, and we have made some progress on the project. The Rural Development Agency has successfully started financing energy-efficient stove producer companies, providing stoves to our citizens, which is one of the components of our project. Subsequently, the more emphasis placed on increasing awareness about the benefits of energy-efficient technology, the greater the public interest will be. 

Moreover, within the project, the process of developing and approving forest management plans is actively underway in target municipalities. The inventory of tools is currently being carried out at the local level in numerous target municipalities.
At the same time, we are strengthening the control agency, our supervision service, which was provided with the appropriate techniques and equipment to continue and enhance monitoring and detect the facts of illegal forest use and illegal logging.

In addition, the process of setting up log sort yards, so-called "business yards" is actively underway, which is also crucial to gradually adopt the practice of sustainable management of timber production and sale", said Mrs. Nino Tandilashvili.

The First Deputy Minister also spoke about the qualification requirements and retraining of people employed in the forestry sector, noting that within the framework of cooperation with the Federal University of Zurich, exchange programs are planned to be conducted for Georgian students to increase their awareness on the international European practices for sustainable forest management and forest use.

During the meeting, the Head of the Development Cooperation Service at the Embassy of Germany, Mrs. Lidija Christmann and the Regional Head of Cooperation in South Caucasus at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Mrs. Barbara Boeni, discussed the progress achieved in the forestry sector in Georgia, emphasizing the creation/arrangement of business yards, the active involvement of society in forest management and enhancing professional education.

The project "Enabling the Implementation of Georgia's Forest Sector Reform - ECO.Georgia" is co-financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Government of Georgia, implemented jointly by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Government of Georgia. The project includes three main components: "Sustainable forest management", "Promoting market development for energy efficient stoves and alternative fuels", and "Income sources and strengthening local self-governance in forest management". The project covers three regions of Georgia - Kakheti, Guria and Mtskheta-Mtianeti.