Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia signed an agreement to allocate an additional contribution of over 3 million EUR from the Swedish Development Agency (SIDA) for the project “Support to the Food Safety and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Sector in Georgia under ENPARD IV.”

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Otar Shamugia, and the FAO Representative in Georgia, Raimund Jehle, signed the project document, with the presence of Erik Illes, Head of Development Cooperation of the Embassy of Sweden.  Before the signing ceremony, the three parties discussed the key developments in the field of rural agriculture in Georgia.

The EU-FAO project “The Food Safety and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Sector in Georgia” is part of the fourth phase of the European Neighborhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD), and the total budget, including this contribution from Sweden, will reach 12.7 million EUR. It will significantly contribute to improving food safety, consumer protection, and increasing the export of Georgian agricultural products to the regional and global markets, with emphasis on the EU market.  The project also aims to support producers and food business operators in implementing new food safety standards, following new regulations through support packages, and increasing their knowledge and experience in this direction.

The project starts in 2022 and its implementation is planned for the end of 2025