A vision of rural development in Georgia was unveiled for public discussion at a recent international conference in Tbilisi.

The conference was organized by Georgia’s Ministry of Agriculture and FAO, as part of the European Union’s European Neighborhood Partnership Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) programme funded by the European Union and the Austrian Development Agency. Government officials, representatives of donors, international organizations, NGOs, private sector and academia were among the participants of the event.

Mamuka Meskhi, FAO Assistant Representative in Georgia, opened the proceedings with a statement underscoring the vital importance of sustainable rural development for the people of Georgia.

“A healthy and dynamic agricultural sector is an important foundation for rural development, generating strong linkages to other economic sectors,” Meskhi said, “There is significant potential for rural job creation not only in farming and agro-processing but also in building rural infrastructure, sustainable management of natural resources, improving education, healthcare, and other areas,“ he added.
The Draft Position Paper developed with technical assistance of FAO was introduced at the conference. The Paper presents the vision of the Ministry of Agriculture on rural development in Georgia, and it contains three main parts:

1. analytical – outlining the current situation of agriculture and the rural sector in terms of education, healthcare and demography
2. formulation – approaches, activities and measures needed in order to accomplish rural development goals and objectives
3. stakeholders – State Agencies and other organizations involved in Georgia’s rural development.

Minister of Agriculture Otar Danelia highlighted the importance of developing the Position Paper.

“First of all,” he said, “it is important to create the general policy of rural development together with all the stakeholders who contribute to this process in different directions, as agriculture is only one component of rural development.“

“Different ministries and organizations in Georgia develop and establish rural development programmes. We want to unite all these initiatives within one general vision and strategy. This is the fastest and most efficient way to reach our goals,” he added.

During the ensuing plenary discussion, participants elaborated recommendations for the final draft of the Position Paper, which will serve as the foundation for the country’s rural development strategy.