Plant the Future Finances 32 Beneficiaries

According to Agricultural Project Management Agency, 32 beneficiaries have received financing within the Plant the Future program with new orchards expected to be planted on 266.4 hectares of land in Shida Kartli. The planting area available to new orchards and the irrigation system throughout all Georgia today stands at 573 hectares and the amount of funding, more than 3 million GEL.

Launched in late February, Plant the Future is initiated by Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia, which will spend 15 million GEL over the next two years. The main goal of the project, which is carried out by the Agricultural Projects Management Agency, is to decrease the volume of import and increase the usage of arable land, enabling farmers and businessmen to create higher quality products. The farmers who decide to create perennial plant orchards and nursery gardens will receive both financial and technical support from the government.

Two independent components, perennial gardens and nursery gardens, will be co-financed. Potential beneficiaries may take advantage of both components of the programme according to the established rules and conditions.

The amount of state co-financing within the program ‘Plant the Future’ is: if setting up a garden, 70% of the value of seedlings, 50% towards a drip irrigation system and 50 % for the nursery itself.

The goals of the project are to create 30-40 high quality nursery gardens of modern standards, with an estimated future capacity of 2,400.000 – 3,000.000 various plant saplings per year; stimulate, with financial support, the creation of perennial gardens and the arrangement of perennial plant gardens and plantations; arrange new gardens and plantations of perennial plants on an area of 1000 – 1200 hectares; and to provide technical assistance to those who want to arrange gardens and nursery gardens.

Ana Akhalaia