In June 2023, through the support of the European Union, under EU4Business initiative, Georgian peach and apricot farmers and farm managers had the opportunity to attend training sessions delivered by an International Stone Fruits Expert, Davide Neri. The expert’s visit was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The EU-supported theoretical and practical training sessions, organised by FAO, intended to support Georgia’s fruit producers in increasing harvest quantity and improving the quality of their products while ensuring the environmental sustainability of their farming practices and the food safety of the final agricultural produce.

The educational sessions were held in peach and apricot orchards in Gurjaani Municipality and consisted of theoretical and practical training modules. The topics of the educational meetings included: modern pruning techniques, crop health, crop production, and organic strategies for pest and disease control to reduce the utilisation of pesticides.

The Expert's second visit to Georgia aimed to deliver informative and practical training sessions responding to Georgian fruit producers' challenges and needs and to share knowledge of best agricultural practices with more than 70 peach and apricot farmers from the Kakheti and Kartli regions.

“Peaches and apricots have been cultivated in Georgia for centuries, as it is close to their centre of origin. We see a high potential for this sector to grow significantly, with a focus on local varieties, especially for peaches, but the technical knowledge of farmers needs to be significantly increased to reach this ambitious goal. We are happy to join forces with the EU to contribute to raising the knowledge of farmers, with the help of first-level experts like Professor Davide Neri, said Javier Sanz Alvarez, FAO Programme Coordinator.

Along with supporting nurseries, under the EU4Business Programme, the EU and FAO have intensified training sessions for Georgia’s fruits and nuts sector; so far, 465 farmers, agronomists, technicians, and managers have attended these technical meetings. The training participants are involved in producing pome and stone fruits, berries, vine grapes, and nuts. Every educational meeting has been tailored to their needs and challenges to ensure the information and skills-sharing activities are impactful.

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The training sessions were implemented by FAO and supported by the EU under the EU4Business initiative - EU Innovative Action for Private Sector Competitiveness in Georgia. The initiative aims to assist Georgian entrepreneurs in improving the legal environment and access to finance while strengthening ties with the European Union.