Georgia: With the financial support of the Government of Japan, within the framework of the project “Sustainable forest management in Georgia and support for climate-smart forest management practices”, a “business yard” will be organized in the village of Jighaura, Mtskheta municipality, “business yards” of Dzegvi and Kvemo Lisi with appropriate equipment (4 units of trucks, 3 “pick-up trucks”) “Mark’s car, 1 tractor and 3 electricity generators) will be equipped. Within the framework of the project, personal safety kits, 100 fire extinguishers, and 3 ATVs will be provided to local foresters, which will help manage the risks of forest fires.
Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture Kakha Kakabadze, Ambassador of Japan to Georgia Imamura Akira and Deputy Permanent Representative of UNDP Anna Chernyshova, together with the representatives of the local self-government, were in the newly built “business yard” in the village of Bodorna and got acquainted with the new model of timber production on the spot. At the meeting, they talked about the ongoing reforms in the forestry sector and the role of the “business yard” in these reforms.
The goal of the project is to obtain firewood from the forest area under the management of the National Forestry Agency, transport it, and process it for sale in “business yards”, which will mainly employ the local, socially vulnerable population.
As the deputy minister, Kakha Kakabadze, said, on the initiative of the Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture, 43 “business yards” have already been set up across the country. The forestry reform envisages the development of forestry, which will allow us to gradually replace social logging in the future with a type of service that will be more convenient for the population and businesses and easier access to wood resources.
“The Japanese and Georgians are distinguished by their special attitude towards the forest and deep cultural connection. Forest restoration and conservation is one of Japan’s national priorities. In this regard, our country has achieved remarkable success. We are happy to share this experience with Georgia, to promote the preservation of the lush forest ecosystem and to help the population of Georgia to more effectively use the opportunities of renewable energy,” said Japanese Ambassador Imamura Akira.
The project “Sustainable forest management in Georgia and support for climate-smart forest management practices” is implemented with the funding of the Japanese government and the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), for which 920,000 US dollars have been allocated.
“UNDP welcomes the new Forest Code, which presents the Georgian government’s vision for reducing deforestation and sustainable forest management. In order to promote forest reform, we provide practical assistance to both the National Forestry Agency and the local population and promote the implementation of green, healthy and sustainable approaches in everyday life,” said Anna Chernyshova, Deputy Permanent Representative of UNDP.
Within the framework of the project, energy-efficient stoves will be provided to the most vulnerable families in local villages. About 43,000 residents of the region will receive sustainably produced biomass fuel for their daily needs. Information meetings will be held with the population about the importance of forest protection and preservation.
