The First Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia, Nino Tandilashvili, presented Georgia’s climate-friendly irrigation sector development project at an Asian Development Bank (ADB) event in Dubai on December 8, 2023.
The event focused on the sustainable development of agriculture, food and natural resource sectors and was held within the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP 28).
The project, supported by a $100 million loan from Asian Development bank (ADB), aims to modernize agricultural irrigation systems in Georgia and support institutional reforms for better water management.
The project will benefit about 25,000 farmers and 41,000 hectares of land in six regions of Georgia. It will also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve water efficiency, and enhance climate resilience.
“This project is the first project of the Asian Development Bank, which will be implemented in the rural development sector in the Caucasus region. As a result of the implementation of the project, water availability will be ensured for local farmers; also, sustainable management of water resources”, Tandilashvili said.
Nino Tandilashvili also spoke about the steps taken by Georgia to address climate change, including the contribution at the national level and the progress of the implementation of the climate action plan.
He said that Georgia was developing its long-term low-emission development strategy and adaptation plan, as well as integrating water resources management into its ongoing reform agenda.
The event was attended by ADB’s Director-General of the Department of Central and West Asia, the Head of Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development, the Sectoral Director, the Director of World Food Program Policy and Program Division, and the Food Systems and Sustainability Service.
They exchanged views and experiences on the challenges and opportunities for sustainable development in the region and the role of ADB in supporting its member countries.
