Georgian CSOs to Promote Free Trade with EU in Rural Areas
The Czech non-governmental organization in Georgia, People in Need (PIN), launched the new project ‘Regional Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as Vectors of Rural Economic Development’, to be implemented with the support of European Union, on June 2. Together PIN, its partners, the Rural Communities Development Agency, PMCG Research Center, Association Atinati and the Georgian Alliance on Agriculture and Rural Development, introduced the project objectives, activities, and its potential outcomes.
“PIN decided to work side by side with local producers to help them understand what the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) means and what opportunities it has to offer,” said Lauriane Gauny, PIN country Director. The project will run in collaboration with local NGOs in seven regions of Georgia: Imereti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Kakheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Adjara and Kvemo-Kartli, with the main objective and focus of strengthening region-based CSOs while implementing the DCFTA within the implementation of the SME policy in Georgia. “Small agricultural producers need support to adapt to the new requirements, and civil society organizations based in rural areas are the best placed to help producers through this adaptation process,” Gauny said.
The target groups of the project are 16 region-based civil society organizations experienced in working with rural micro and small entrepreneurs, and eight local action groups (LAGs) in the Lagodekhi, Kazbegi, Borjomi, Dedoplistskaro, Tetritskaro, Akhalkalaki, Khulo and Keda municipalities. Medium, small and micro-businesses, individual entrepreneurs, farmers and agro-producers, local CSOs and local agrarian associations will be the beneficiaries of the project.
Through various trainings planned in the framework of the project, PIN will be assisting CSOs and LAGs to acquire information and knowledge about DCFTA-related issues, advocacy techniques and value chain research, which will help regional producers to identify local products having a potential to enter European markets. This will be done by establishing information and resource desks in the selected seven regions of Georgia.
The main project activities include coaching local CSOs in each specified region on the aspects of the DCFTA, Georgian regulations in rural development sectors, customs regulations, environmental protection, climate-smart agriculture, food safety and quality standards, energy efficiency and clean energy, and value chain research aimed at the agriculture sector.
The project will also enhance the population reach through Radio Atinati and other partner radio stations and media outlets for the promotion of the information resource desks and the impact of DCFTA regulations. The project focused on connecting targeted CSOs and LAGs with the Georgian Alliance on Agriculture and Rural Development (GAARD) and others to “empower rural communities to represent their interests in policy development and implementation”.
The plan is to deliver four policy briefs on DCFTA effects, as well as to conduct four bi-annual regional workshops and two national-level discussions on policy briefs through the GAARD platform, with the participation of CSOs, LAGs, stakeholders and policymakers.
“The agriculture industry is a priority sphere and there are number of institutional changes going on. With significant efforts from the government and active involvement of the private sector, there are positive changes in terms of attracting investments to the sector and in expanding international markets,” Iuri Nozadze, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Georgia said at the program launch.
“The DCFTA has enormous benefits and opens many opportunities, at the same time bringing challenges, which means that legislative bases have to be improved, and institutional bases have to be formed. At the same time, the private sector has to comply with the higher norms and standards, as the private sector also needs investments, recommendations and support. The engagement of the NGO sector is crucial in the Euro integration process,” Archil Karaulashvili, First Deputy State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic integration stressed as he talked about the importance of the project at the launch ceremony.
“This project comes as an initiative to empower, agriculture, business and civil society and to help civil society actors to better inform business organizations and other producers to better understand the challenges and opportunities of the DCFTA,” said Vincent Ray, Head of Cooperation Section, Delegation of the European Union to Georgia.
The project is part of EU assistance to the Georgian government to implement the DCFTA, facilitating Georgia’s integration into the EU market.
“On the base of 24 civil society organizations across the seven regions of Georgia, we will be opening information resource desks that will enable local entrepreneurs to receive information on the DCFTA. Globally speaking, the aim of our project is to strengthen the integration of Georgia to the European markets,” said Zaal Anjaparidze, People in Need project manager.
Nino Gugunishvili