In May 2023, Through the support of the European Union (EU) under the ENPARD IV Programme, an International FAO expert in official risk-based inspection controls, Alberto Mantovani, visited Georgia. He carried out a series of training sessions for the employees of Revenue Services (RS), the National Food Agency (NFA), and the Scientific Research Center of Agriculture (SRCA). The interactive educational meetings were held with the objective of strengthening food inspectors’ capacities to consistently utilise official risk-based control mechanisms, with a particular emphasis on chemical hazards. The sessions also supported the capacity-building for the Risk Assessment Division at SRCA.

These interactive educational meetings assessed and analysed chemical hazards in Georgia’s food products. Presentations and discussions centred around understanding the procedures involving categorising food business operators in Georgia. Indeed, advanced risk-based control mechanisms of chemical hazards in food facilitate evidence-based decisions by national food safety authorities.

“FAO and the EU continue supporting Georgia in improving food safety. Risk-based control of chemical hazards is an important element in achieving safer food production, consumption, and trade. But this risk-based control is a complex procedure that requires the coordination of different stakeholders, also including Food Business Operators. We are happy to contribute to this process, which is critical for human health, but also from an environmental point of view," said the FAO Programme Coordinator, Javier Sanz Alvarez.

“EU supports the Georgian public sector in bettering food safety on a national level. Sharing best practices and insights supports the country in achieving consistency in implementing the existing legislation. This process could greatly improve nutrition in the country while also advancing production capacities of the private sector, creating more economic opportunities, and establishing Georgia’s food chains on the international map”, said Dominik Papenheim, Team Leader for Economic Development and Market Opportunities at the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia.

During the last six months, through the support of the EU under its ENPARD IV Programme, FAO has held training sessions on bettering food safety for the representatives of Georgia’s public institutions and farmers. Three educational programs have already been implemented for approximately 100 employees of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, its agencies, and other public institutions, such as the RS. Moreover, the extension team of FAO has held 150 sessions for farmers and input suppliers. The agronomists and veterinarians of the organisation have now trained 730 individuals on food safety in agronomy and 795 farmers in safe dairy production practices.

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The European Union supports rural development in Georgia through its ENPARD Programme. Aiming to reduce rural poverty, ENPARD has been implemented since 2013. The Programme started by supporting the development of national agriculture potential. Afterwards, it concentrated also on creating economic opportunities for rural populations in Georgia. Since 2023, the Programme has placed an even bigger emphasis on improving food safety in the country.