The Memorandum of Understanding on expanding and financial stimulus to the protected territories of Georgia has been signed between the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr Levan Davitashvili and Chairperson of the Advisory Council of the Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF), Mr David Morrison and Mr Tobias Munchmeier, Executive Director of the Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF). “The grant assistance amounts into several million USD and will be donated to Georgia by the Caucasus Nature Fund and through the WYSS Foundation. Such assistance will complement creation of the new protected territories, enhancing and developing infrastructure and implementation of projects, which apart from conservation objectives – also ensure advancement of balanced social approached and economic capacities for the local dwellers” – Minister Davitashvili stated. In frames of the MoU, space of Georgia’s protected territories will be expanded, which will span across five new territories of Racha, Samegrelo – Zemo Svaneti, Shida Kartli and Guria regions. The Caucasus Nature Fund will award Georgia with a grant ranging between 6 – 10 million USD, which will fall in compliance with newly established protected territories in Georgia. Apart from practical matters of managing protected territories, the CNF will also complement the process of shaping legislative base. “The MoU signed today will open the door to one of the strongest private American foundations, which will enter Georgia and the whole region for the first time. This will be a step forward, which will assist Georgia in expanding-enhancing protected territories’ network, as well implementation of international obligations, which will increase visibility of Georgia at an international arena” – Mr Morrison stated. As Mr Tobias Munchmeier, Executive Director of the Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) stated – it is crucial to safeguard protected territories, which will result into attaining biodiversity as well as endangered spaces. The Caucasus Nature Fund will join forces with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia to enhance five new protected territories and manage these in a way to safeguard Georgia’s wild species from dangers and that will also stimulate Georgia to further develop environmental and biodiversity protection; these efforts of Georgia will be especially vital amidst the ongoing struggle of the world with the Climate Change. The Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) and the Agency of Protected Territories under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia have been cooperating since 2008 though providing financial assistance to rangers, as well as enhancing-developing infrastructure. The CNF has provided assistance to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan for safeguarding biodiversity and eco-systems in the country.  

Georgia has already exported 7, 2 thousand tonnes of hazelnut, which has amounted into 31, 3 million USD. In comparison to the previous year, hazelnut export has boosted in 42 % (2,1 thousand tonnes).The vast majority of the Georgian hazelnut is exported to the European Union’s markets - Italy (3,662 tonnes), Germany (945 tonnes), Spain (411 tonnes), Czechia (263 tonnes), Poland (209 tonnes), Lithuania (110 tonnes), Latvia (66 tonnes), France (65 tonnes), Estonia (44 tonnes), Bulgaria (44 tonnes), Belgium (20 tonnes).Georgian hazelnut is also exported to the following countries - Armenia (443 tonnes), Ukraine (171 tonnes), Russia (104 tonnes), Iraq (120 tonnes), Belarus (113 tonnes), China (104 tonnes), UAE (54 tonnes), Mexico (28 tonnes), Argentina (26 tonnes), United Kingdom (22 tonnes), Turkey (22 tonnes), Uzbekistan (22 tonnes) and other countries (116 tonnes). 

The State funding has ensured establishment of the LTD “Sartichala Sashrobi” with dryer and cereals’ storage facility at the village of Sartichala, Gardabani municipality. “This is a new enterprise, which will ensure high-quality facility for accommodating cereals. The respective enterprise has been funded by the grant, as well as credit resources; more than 500, 000 million GEL of grant has been issued, apart from awarding a 3,5 million preferential agro-credit. In case we have to harvest an increased amount of high-quality primary production, by all means – we are in need to attain the corresponding storage and processing facilities. Our approach is a complexed one and aims at fostering each and every aspect of the production chain” – Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr Levan Davitashvili stated, upon visiting the village of Sartichala, together with Mr Shota Rekhviashvili, State Trustee of the Kartli Region. The Minister stressed out that accommodating harvest in Georgia is handled in modern facilities. A preferential agro-credit has assigned a total funding of 900 million GEL to storage and processing infrastructure. Hundreds of such modern enterprises operate nationwide.   “It will be complemented by the State grant funding, which will be implemented through the special program of the State and that ensures co-funding to processing and storage enterprises. A total amount of co-funding is around 80 million GEL and has attracted several hundreds of private investments. In frames of the program, around 200 new enterprises have been funded” – Minister Davitashvili stated. A complex LTD “Sartichala Sashrobi” with dryer and cereals’ storage facility has been equipped with a funding of 3,5 million GEL of investment, including a 500, 000 GEL grant from the Rural Development Agency; moreover, 3, 000, 000 milliom GEL has been allocated as a preferential agro-credit. The “Sartichala Sashrobi” employs 10 locals and has a capacity to dry 9, 000 tonnes of cereals. We shall stress out that in frames of the preferential agro-credit, more than 880 million GEL has been allocated for enhancing storage and processing infrastructure; more than 3, 900 loans have been issued and co-funding from the Agency exceeds 11, 4 million GEL. The grant program has been translated into 10 storage enterprises in the Kvemo Kartli region; co-funding from the State exceeds 5, 2 million GEL

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr Levan Davitashvili met with Mr Christian Schoenenberger, Head of Mission, Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia to discuss matters related to a successful record of cooperation between the two countries. Parties to the meeting also touched upon future plans, such as enhancing local bioproduction, livestock and dairy sector, as well as supporting international educational programs for farmers; discussion scrutinized possibilities for enhancing cooperation matters on agrarian matters in the vocational education. Minister Davitashvili stressed out successful reforms in the fields of livestock and dairy; he also highlighted ongoing projects and importance of financial/technical assistance from Switzerland.  The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Ms Nino Tandilashvili, who stressed out the importance of adapting to the climate change, as well as establishing an early warning and disasters’ management system in Georgia, for the first time. It shall be noted that on October 21, a working visit will take place in Bern, where the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr Levan Davitashvili and the Minister of Environment of Switzerland will sign a bilateral Memorandum on the fulfillment of the Paris Agreement.

 The city of Rimini of Italy has welcomed eight Georgian companies, which attended an international agro-exhibition “Macfrut 2021”, through assistance of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia. The Georgian stand featured fruit and vegetable products of the respective companies: “Kareli Fruits” (Chikori), “Georgia’s Natural”, “Lurji Veli”, “Agrolane”, “Nutsge”, “Caucasus Organic Fruits”, “August Fruit Factory” and “Geo Organic”. In frames of an exhibition, Ambassador of Georgia to Italy, H.E. Mr Konstantine Surguladze and President of the “Macfrut 2021”, Mr Renzo Piraccini and representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia and the Georgian companies scrutinized prospects of exporting Georgian production to Italy. In the course of the discussions, attendees discussed importance of international trade with the European countries and Euro-integration of Georgia. An international agro-exhibition “Macfrut 2021” enabled representatives of the Georgian companies to host meetings with the Italian companies and international business associations. Promoting Georgian agro-production at the global markets is a crucial effort and is a priority for the State. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia is actively engaged into these directions and empowers Georgian companies to increase their production’s visibility.  

The Georgian Society and Nature Explorers “Orchis” has hosted an online meeting for discussing a regional action plan for waste management in the Kakheti region; the plan aspires to deploy a modern system for waste management, which is in compliance with the regional development strategies. The meeting enjoyed active contribution from the Kakheti Regional Administration, eight municipalities and interested parties. Waste management plan of the Kakheti region is one of the core components of the NGO consortium: the Georgian Society and Nature Explorers “Orchis”, Greens Movement of Georgia/Friends of the Earth-Georgia” in frames of the “Keep Georgia Tidy” project. The project “Keep Georgia Tidy” is supported by the Swedish Government and is implemented through assistance of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, as well as the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia and in cooperation with the Waste Management Company. “The Swedish Development Agency has supported implementation of the pilot project on waste management in the Kakheti region. Waste management happens to be one of the key challenges for our country, therefore, we aim to develop a model of waste management, which will be carried out in accordance with the European Union’s standards and the Swedish experience” – Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr Solomon Pavliashvili stated, upon attending an online conference. The meeting was attended by the representative/expert of the Swedish Gevle Association, Mr Per-Olaf Hallberg, as well as representatives of “Orchis”, experts and persons responsible for undertaking the working plan on waste management in the Kakheti region. 

A new call for grant proposals will be launched in frames of the “Safety and Quality Investment in Livestock (SQIL)” project, which encourages innovative business ideas to be submitted as proposals. A need-based innovative proposals aim toward dairy and beef industries to improve increase local value addition by emphasizing food safety and quality standards. The project is implemented by the Land O’Lakes Venture 37, implemented by the eorgian Farmers’ Association and funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).“Enhancement of the livestock industry is of utmost priority for the State. Therefore, we would like to express gratitude to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for their financial assistance. I firmly believe that the grant competitions and their implementation will translate into tangible outcomes in the livestock sector” – The first Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr Giorgi Khanishvili stated. Applications to the competition on innovative business ideas in the livestock sector will be accepted between September 11, 2021 to October 22, 2021. The competition aspires to increase accessibility to markets, further processing and storage of production, enhancing productiveness, and improving access to financial services. The project also actively aims on raising awareness among the persons employed to the livestock sector, which has been enriched through utilizing various trainings or educational-informational guidebooks. Detailed information on the grant competition can be accessed at: https://bit.ly/2YzQNX4Further information can be accessed at: https://www.facebook.com/SQILGeorgia