Georgia: Agriculture Ministry launches new project to tackle effects of climate change in agro-food system

Tbilisi: The  Environment and Agriculture Ministry of Georgia, together with the United Nations  Food and Agriculture Organization  (UNFAO), with the support of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), has started implementing a new project to combat the perils of climate change in the agriculture sector.

The project “Strategic Readiness to Implement Georgia’s Renewed National Contribution and Climate Sustainability: Transformation of the Agriculture Sector with Low-Mission Approaches to Climate Change” is funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF)

The presentation of the project was attended by the First Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia, Nino Tandilashvili, and FAO representative Raymund Yele.

As the Deputy representative of Agriculture Ministry , Nino Tandilashvili, stated, “The world clearly sees that climate change has a significant impact on various sectors of countries’ economies, including agriculture. Of course, Georgia is not an exception.

Therefore, it is particularly important for us to formulate concrete visions that will help the agriculture sector become more climate-friendly and to plan and implement climate adaptation measures in accordance with EU international practice.

We are ready to make some modifications to existing government programs and implement additional mechanisms that will enhance the adaptability of the agriculture sector in the country and minimize air emissions from the sector.

This is especially important now that Georgia is taking an important step on the way to European integration”.

As mentioned in the project presentation, for the next two years, within the framework of the program, FAO will conduct an in-depth and detailed evaluation, which will allow Georgia to define a clear vision and prepare a precise action plan to plan specific measures in the agriculture sector, which, on the one hand, will be aimed at adapting to climate change processes. On the other hand, It will help to reduce emissions from the agricultural sector.

“Based on nearly 20 years of experience in implementing programs in Georgia, we believe that Georgia’s agro-food system has a great potential for sustainable development by reducing emissions and consequences of climate change.”

“By joining forces and combining the best experiences of FAO and partners, we can transform agro-food systems that will help Georgia fulfil its international commitments to combat climate change and develop a sustainable future for the country,” said Raymund Yele, FAO representative in Georgia.

Readiness Program and will be implemented by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representatives of state and international organizations, experts and specialists in the agro-food sector attended the presentation of the project.