Three representatives of the Scientific-Research Centre (SRCA) of the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia participated in the Regional Training Workshop on Variety Testing and Registration & Seed Quality Control and Certification, organized in Ankara, Turkey by FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia.

Ketevan Bochorishvili, Mirian Chokheli and Ana Devidze from SRCA visited the capital of Turkey for a five-day workshop in September to study the international standards of seed quality control. Sharing knowledge is essential in implementing seed certification system in Georgia.

Georgian participants of the workshop got acquainted with many possible methods for testing varietal identity: chemical analyses, electrophoresis, molecular techniques, etc.

Presentations concerned international quality control systems set by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Participants had an opportunity to visit the specialized laboratories and seed producing companies.

''It was urgently important for us to meet the professionals of this sphere and to share the experience that will be very useful for harmonizing the Georgian seed quality control measures and certification with the international standards,'' said Ketevan Bochorishvili, SRCA Standard and Certification Laboratory Director.

At the end of the workshop, Georgian participants were awarded with the certificates of attendance.

Implementing Seed Quality Control and Certification System in Georgia will enhance seed production sector through guarantying declared quality of seed materials, aiming to increase agricultural production in Georgia.

Support to the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia (MoA), in development and establishment of the seed certification system, is provided through the Programme of Capacity Development of MoA implemented by FAO and funded by Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC).