Donor: European Commission (EC)
 

Partners: CARE International in the Caucasus, Regional Development Association (RDA), International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University (ISET)

 

Budget: 4,095,315.14 EURO

 

Duration: January 2014 – December 2017

 

Domains: Agricultural development, market-linkages, women empowerment;

 

Geographic Coverage: Khobi, Abasha, Senaki, Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti, Chokhatauri, Tsageri;

 

Impact Group: Rural poor, smallholder farmers, women;

 

Goal: Sustained increase of food production and rural poverty reduction in Georgia.

 

This project aims to increase the income and living standard of the Georgian rural population by reinvigorating agricultural productivity. This will be achieved through the development of innovative and financially sustainable models of cooperatives so that farmers are better able to reap profits from their agricultural activities.

 

To achieve its goals the project works in four different directions:



1) Builds capacity of farmer groups:

Members of 60 groups (with a total estimated number of 860 smallholder farmers) will be supported to formulate and refine their business plans. Capacity building will include following elements:·

• Refining business ideas through training sessions on feasibility analysis, mapping of service needs and existing services, mapping of technical knowledge needed and how to access it, etc. ;·

• Provision of tailor-made technical input, such as on sustainable soil and water management, climate-smart planting methods, etc.;·

• Creating conditions to run a successful business, such as a sound governance structure, analysis of power and group dynamics, business analysis and management skills.43 farmer’s cooperation groups will be selected to receive revolving grant with average amount of 25 000 Euros, additional training and technical assistance.

2) Supports Georgian Farmer’s Association (GFA) to protect smallholder farmers’ interests and rights:

GFA will be assisted to improve their organizational structure, develop sustainable business model and raise awareness among stakeholders.

3) Works with authorities to improve institutional framework for smallholder farmers groups:

The project will support Government’s ongoing efforts to transform the agriculture sector through the introduction of cooperatives, informing governmental actors of the on-the-ground results and providing feedback on policies. This will improve the performance of the policy-making effort, enhance the environment in which cooperatives work, and facilitate scale-up and replication.

4) Links smallholder farmer groups to improved sources of capital, market information, business opportunities and farming/processing methods:

The best business ideas of farmer groups will be placed on our on-line marketplace and through our brokering mechanisms will be communicated to local and international investors to jump-start investment and catalyze scale-up of promising results. For this component, CARE International in the Caucasus will mobilize 300 000 from social investors and philanthropists. Furthermore, up-to-date market price data system for inputs and products will be created which will ease business related decision-making for the farmers. Additionally they will have better access to technical assistance provider networks.