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

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Otar Shamugia meets the representatives of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. Otar Shamugia and members of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) team addressed ongoing and implemented projects in Georgia with IFAD assistance, the obtained results, and future cooperation issues.

Mr.  Donald Brown, Vice President of IFAD led the delegation.

"We have had an active, fruitful and long-standing cooperation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The programs we undertake with IFAD's assistance support the country's agricultural development. An essential part of the obligations under the Association Agreement with the European Union implies implementing reforms and adopting legislation in food safety, agriculture, and environmental protection areas.

Although our country has already fulfilled most of its commitments, we still have a lot of work to do and a challenging journey to take, in which we need support from our partners, especially today, when Georgia is waiting to obtain the status of the European Union candidate country. IFAD projects aimed at developing the capabilities of smallholder farmers yield significant results in developing the agricultural value chain," stated Mr. Otar Shamugia.

During the meeting, the parties positively evaluated the results of the IFAD-funded "Agriculture Modernization, Market Access, and Resilience Project" (AMMAR), noting that the current IFAD project "Dairy Sector Modernization and Market Access Project (DIMMA)" is also important to bring similar tangible and valuable results.
Mr. Donald Brown, Vice President of IFAD, stated that IFAD and Georgia have a long history of successful collaboration, including implementing programs to support reforms and economic growth in the country.

"The International Fund for Agricultural Development will continue to support Georgia in overcoming the field-related challenges. We welcome the fact that the country is actively working on reforming sustainable land management and pasture management, which will significantly contribute to the empowerment of small farmers and their access to IFAD projects, as well as the overall development of the agricultural sector in the country," Mr. Donal Brown said.

Mrs. Dina Saleh, Regional Director in Near East, North Africa, Europe & Central Asia at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the representatives of IFAD and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture attended the meeting.