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

Training of trainers is one of the most important components of "Hazelnut protection program". We will train agricultural specialists and active farmers who will further share their knowledge and experience to their neighbors, relatives and other villagers, therefore, through joint efforts we will be able to mobilize more people. Over the past few years, along with various deseases we faced a problem related to the invasion of an Asian stink bug in Georgia. We don’t have an illusion that all rural residents have an access to financial resources; Therefore, the installment loan component will be very important. If farmers have desire, they will be able to beforehand buy chemicals and plant protection products that are inevitable for treatment activities. We discussed how to use the insurance program component. We will provide detailed presentation on different insurance companies on what type of protection program will they offer to farmers to provide an additional incentive and increase their motivation to be engaged in the program.
It should be noted, that we ensure co-financing component and finance a large part of insurance premium. However, if there are some additional components that insurance company is willing to offer to a farmer, apart from four risks that are funded under the agribusiness program, we are ready to review co-financing components as well and present our initiative to the government to offer additional insurance assistance to farmers.
Moreover, it is very important to harvest a ripe crop at the right time. The Association has a program that gives farmers information about when, where to dry and store products. The development of storage farms is also a part of our joint program, where the company Ferrero is actively involved and I would like to thank them.
The company provides grant co-financing to farmers to enable them create storing and drying centers. Therefore, state grants plus "Ferrero" financing will enable farmers to create their own storage enterprises.
The program will embrace large consolidators and exporter companies, also a processing industry, which is the leading figure in the field intending to buy a high quality crop at a reasonable price and which gives farmers incentives to boost and increase their production, so that, farmers efforts will not be in vain.
All these components include state co-financing component and support. We increase farmers knowledge and at the same time we have specific financial instruments to offer farmers, although farmers should mobilize themselves by means of using agro-credit or agro-leasing.
We faced some problems related to financing different hazelnut crops. Through program "Plant the Future" we funded planting of new gardens, but we also have a modernization program that gives farmers technical equipment. Moreover, at present without relevant technical equipment it is impossible to grow different varieties of agricultural crops.
In 2019, we are starting a new program, soon we will have a government resolution, through which we will have 50% grant funding for all types of agricultural equipment, accordingly all persons will be able to buy tractor or other types of farm equipment they are in need.
All activities are implemented to modernize plantations and increase productivity of hazelnut and other valuable agricultural crops "said Levan Davitashvili.