Tbilisi: Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia, Solomon Pavliashvili took part in a working meeting to discuss the results achieved in rural development under the European Neighbourhood Program for Rural Development (ENPARD) and issues of promoting rural inclusive and sustainable growth.
Solomon Pavliashvili thanked the European Union and the UN Development Program (UNDP) for supporting Georgia for years.
“For ten years, with the support of the European Union and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), a number of important projects have been implemented in Georgia and the positive results we have in the direction of rural and agriculture development in the country are partly due to their support.”
The ministry is actively and coordinated with donors to overcome the challenges we still have in terms of agriculture and agriculture, as well as climate change, air quality, waste management and other environmental issues,” Solomon Pavliashvili noted.
According to Anna Chernishova, Deputy Permanent Representative of the UN Development Program in Georgia, the Ministry, international partners and local organizations should work jointly to overcome challenges.
“Together with the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, international partners and local organizations, we will discuss future ways to support Georgia in the process of European integration and how to make rural development more inclusive and sustainable,” Anna Chernishova said.
As the project manager of the EU representation in Georgia, Ketevan Khutsishvili noted at the meeting, the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture is the first coordinator of the activities that the EU implements in the direction of rural and agriculture development in Georgia.
Programs implemented over the years, including ENPARD, have supported areas such as rural development and improving rural living conditions, engaging population in decision-making, and, of course, promoting agricultural development.
The work meeting discussed the achievements achieved in rural areas of ENPARD in areas such as:
-supporting entrepreneurship and job creation (co-financing and grant programs, government services in rural areas, promoting traditional farming, supporting women entrepreneurs in rural areas);
-application of digital technologies and skills development (SME digital) Transformation, digital skills development, of rural youth Development);
-Green Economy (Climate-friendly Agriculture, Access to Renewable Technologies, Green Economy in Rural).
The meeting was attended by representatives of stakeholders involved in the process of promoting inclusive and sustainable growth in the village.
