A delegation comprising representatives from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC), which have generously supported the development of Georgia’s animal health, food safety, and livestock sector, accompanied by the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, visited Shida Kartli to firsthand observe the use of the National Animal Identification and Registration System (NAITS) of the National Food Agency of Georgia. The representatives engaged with farmers, veterinarians, and system operators, gaining insights into the use of the NAITS, its achievements, and the challenges faced by its stakeholders.

The NAITS is a core electronic system of the National Food Agency (NFA) that has been developed and rolled out with technical assistance from FAO Georgia. The system collects and electronically records information on mandatorily identifiable animals, their keepers, health-related details, and holding locations all around Georgia. Functioning as a pivotal tool for food traceability, the NAITS is a prerequisite for compliance with the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Agreement (DCFTA) with the European Union.

The representatives of the organizations interacted with the NFA personnel and field veterinarians responsible for digitizing field data from government animal health programs. At the local farm in Kvernaki, in the municipality of Gori, the visitors witnessed NFA’s activities in livestock tagging using field data entry through the NAITS' mobile application. The delegation also visited the Animal Management Agency of Shida Kartli, where the NAITS is used to register the stray animal population and document animal health activities, including rabies vaccinations—essential for the development of robust control strategies.

“We are happy to support Georgia in having its first ever fully operational system that will protect animal health, public health and food safety. Efforts are made towards increasing the capacity of local farmers, National Food Agency operators, and all relevant persons who will make use of the system. We are convinced that the system will be beneficial for farmers increasing their productivity and income,” said Barbara Böni, Regional Director of Cooperation South Caucasus, Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia.   

“Austrian Development  Cooperation continues to support Georgia on its path to EU integration, aligning its institutions and public management systems with EU standards. NAITS serves as an excellent example of a multi-use system that ensures food safety and animal welfare through collaboration between public and private stakeholders,” said Alexander Karner, the Head of Coordination Office for Technical Cooperation of the Austrian Embassy in Georgia.

"The NAITS exemplifies the potential for effective inter-institutional collaboration and stakeholder engagement brought by the invaluable support provided to the Government by international development support and funding. We are happy that donors and international organizations are actively interested in the outcomes of the project and their use by the NFA. Their support is instrumental in advancing National Food Agency’s capacities that hold primary significance for Georgia's integration into the European Union,” said Dragan Angelovski, FAO Georgia’s technical advisor