Georgian Hazelnut Producers Benefit from Continued Capacity-Building Opportunities

Over 100 small and medium-scale producers from Georgia’s hazelnut sector strengthened their capacities in integrated orchard management through a targeted training programme implemented in Zugdidi and Telavi. Knowledge-sharing meetings were organised as part of the ongoing partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and AgriGeorgia (Ferrero’s hazelnut company), under ENPARD IV of the European Union (EU) and Sweden. 
The series of educational events aimed to support the integration of modern, climate-smart, and sustainable practices to improve productivity, quality, phytosanitary conditions and the efficiency of hazelnut production in Georgia. The initiative contributes to improving food safety standards and enhancing the competitiveness of Georgian hazelnuts in international markets.
Led by experts from Ferrero’s Agri Competence Centre, in coordination with FAO, the two-day Integrated Hazelnut Orchard Management training module focused on two primary topics: 

• Water management and plant nutrition.  
• Integrated Pest and Disease Management. 

“Supporting the advancement of production standards in Georgia’s hazelnut sector is essential to ensuring food safety, sustainability, and long-term competitiveness,” said Guido Agostinucci, FAO Programme Manager. “Through this ongoing training series, initiated last year in partnership with AgriGeorgia under ENPARD IV of the European Union and Sweden, we are equipping producers and key sector representatives with the state-of-the-art practical knowledge on integrated orchard management. In addition, training participants are eligible to apply for matching grants under the FAO-implemented ENPARD IV programme, to acquire key equipment for improved drying of hazelnuts.”

“We are proud to continue partnering with FAO under ENPARD IV to support Georgia’s hazelnut producers,” Marika Kodua, AgriGeorgia Outgrowing Manager. “The knowledge-sharing opportunities help the Georgian producers adopt modern orchard management practices and improve both the quality and safety of their hazelnut production.”

“With over 65% of Georgian exports destined for the EU market, securing these increasingly valuable market shares is essential. The primary concern is addressing the aflatoxin contamination risk in hazelnuts, particularly after 17 border rejections were reported on the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) in 2025. By implementing the measures recommended by FAO experts and the hazelnut sector—focused on improving cultural practices, harvesting, and storage conditions to prevent fungal growth—beneficiaries of the programme can significantly reduce the risk of aflatoxin contamination,” said Denis Reiss, Programme Officer for Sustainable Food Systems at the Delegation of the EU to Georgia. “Through ENPARD IV, the European Union remains committed to supporting Georgia’s hazelnut sector in enhancing food safety, sustainability, and competitiveness, while creating tangible economic opportunities for rural communities.”
With support from the EU and Sweden under ENPARD IV, and as part of the partnership between FAO and AgriGeorgia, more than 300 farmers have been better equipped with key knowledge on hazelnut primary production, post-harvest handling, and processing. These producers were also eligible for the first financial support cycle launched in 2025, which provided matching grants to improve post-harvest food safety in the hazelnut value chain. As a result, 22 matching grants have been approved to co-finance hazelnut drying equipment. 

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About the European Union
For more than 30 years, the EU has built a close partnership with Georgia, supporting its development through knowledge and experience sharing, expertise, innovation and financial support. The relationship between the EU and the citizens of Georgia is based on shared values of peace, freedom, democracy, human rights and inclusive economic growth. More about the EU’s support in Georgia https://eu4georgia.eu/the-european-union-in-georgia/

About ENPARD
The EU supports rural development in Georgia through its ENPARD Programme. Aiming to reduce rural poverty, ENPARD has been implemented since 2013. The Programme started by supporting the development of the national agriculture potential. Subsequently, it also concentrated on creating economic opportunities for rural populations in Georgia. Since 2021, the Programme has also been working to improve food safety in the country, with additional support from Sweden, and FAO and the Czech Development Agency as the main implementers of this food safety component under ENPARD IV.