In September 2023, FAO continued training agricultural producers in Arakhveti, Jaghmiani, and Kvesheti villages, as well as the communities living in the Khada valley. Smallholder farmers attending the events had the opportunity to learn from FAO veterinarians and agronomists about the modern agricultural practices. This training programme in the Dusheti municipality aims at enhancing the resilience of the local farmers through trainings using the FAO Farmer Field School methodology.

The project is being financed under the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Technical Assistance: Preparing the North-South Corridor (Kvesheti-Kobi) Road Project.

The dairy trainings sessions, mainly attended by women farmers, included key topics relating to small-scale dairy production cycle - from milking and pasteurization to cheese production. Animal health was also a fundamental part of the training programme, through which its participants learn about livestock vaccination, nutrition, and zoonotic diseases.

The participants got to learn more about checking milk quality with a Lactoscan and California Mastitis Test kits. FAO handed over digital thermometers and California Mastitis Test Kits to all attendants so they can use them in their farms.

The training sessions in agronomy were focused on improving the efficiency and food safety of vegetable production, with an emphasis on Good Agricultural Practices and Climate-Smart Agriculture. So far, some of the key topics that have been introduced to the local communities include seedling production and compostingfor achieving increased harvest and improved food safety.

“Through the support of ADB, we have developed the training curriculum for the local populations of this region by consulting with them and identifying the major challenges that they are facing in agricultural production. The number of attendants of our educational meetings are constantly increasing, which highlights that the content of our training programme truly does respond to the needs of the local farmers. Those who implement the methodologies, which we teach, will undoubtedly increase their productivity and produce higher-quality agricultural goods and we are looking forward to witnessing this with them,” says Allan Pineda Burgos, International Food Production Specialist at FAO.

“Climate-smart agricultural practices are key to ensuring the resilience of Georgia’s food systems. The FAO training program under the project apply these modern methods, which contribute to food security and the improvement of food safety, also create economic opportunities for local communities,” says Kamel Bouhmad, ADB Deputy Country Director for Georgia.

At this stage, the ADB-supported FAO trainings have been attended by 48 dairy farmers, beekeepers, vegetable producers.

Moreover, in the coming months, new training sessions on veterinary and good agricultural practices are already planned for the local communities, as well as the establishment of more Farmer Field Schools for the local populations.  

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With the support of ADB, FAO is implementing Farmer Field Schools in the Kvesheti, Jaghmiani, and Arakhveti villages for the local communities, including the populations in the Khada Valley, with a special emphasis on empowering women farmers. The project aims at supporting them in advancing small-scale vegetable, dairy and potato production, and improving their resilience.