Tbilisi, Georgia – FAO has launched a new project to assess the feasibility of implementing land consolidation pilot projects integrated with irrigation rehabilitation, as standalone activities and as a part of the systematic registration of land rights. Working with the National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture (MEPA) of Georgia will be integral in designing the next steps for introducing a land consolidation instrument in Georgia. The project also implies communicating with farmers and landowners to determine their readiness to participate in land consolidation projects and thus improving the productivity and competitiveness of their farms. The project is implemented within the scope of World Bank Irrigation Market Development Project (ILMDP).

An average farm in Georgia has a size of 1.4 ha and is divided into 4-5 land parcels. This creates infrastructure development, production volume, and market competitiveness challenges for Georgian farmers. Land consolidation, on the other hand, proposes a solution to this issue, as it can increase production and efficiency, along with ensuring the perpetuity of cropping. As a result, it can make farming initiatives more profitable and hence financially feasible for farmers. Notably, the benefits of land consolidation are higher when it is implemented together with irrigation rehabilitation.

In fact, the future land consolidation pilot activities are expected to be implemented in the pre-selected areas where the World Bank Georgia Resilient Agriculture Irrigation and Land Project (GRAIL) will also support the improved access to irrigation.

The outcome of the FAO project will be a Feasibility Study Report, which will analyse under which conditions land consolidation pilots can be expected to be feasible in the context of Georgia. This will include an analysis of interviews with farmers, as well as the representatives of NAPR and other involved institutions. The document will also include an initial cost-benefit analysis that focuses on the benefits for farmers participating in land consolidation and for the society. The Feasibility Study Report will also contribute to the formulation of a feasible land consolidation pilot approach with recommendations for adjustment of the legal and institutional framework for land consolidation.

“Land consolidation has the potential to become an important instrument for developing Georgia’s agriculture sector, as this instrument ensures more profitability for farmers, while at the same time making them more resilient to factors such as climate change and access to water. Determining a context specific model for land consolidation is going to be essential in making sure that its adoption will be fruitful for Georgia”, says Morten Hartvigsen, Land Tenure Officer of FAO.

The implementation of a land consolidation pilot project will be a unique opportunity for Georgia not only to support agricultural development but also as a tool for climate change adaptation, especially when land consolidation is combined with modernization of irrigation systems.