On September 18, 2015 a workshop on the Family Farming
Development Prospects in Georgia was held by the Biological Farming Association
Elkana with participation of representatives from the organizations working on
agricultural issues. The workshop was organized within the framework of the
programme financed by Brot fur die Welt.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) data, family farming plays a crucial role in the world’s food production
– 70% of the world’s food is produced in the family farms. Therefore, 2014 was
declared as the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) by FAO. Special
events, dedicated to the IYFF, were held in different countries throughout the
world and the national committees were established to develop supportive policies
for family farming.
As the percentage of family farms is quite high in Georgia, it is very
important to promote family farming support in the country as well as to establish
a working group comprised of organizations working on agricultural issues and
ensure the high level of involvement of the farmers’ organizations.
The farmers’ problems as well as the factors hindering the development
of family farms were discussed at the workshop. These issues were especially
emphasized at the Farmers’ Congress of Georgia 2014, organized within the
framework of the European Union financed regional project “Improving Regional
Food Security through National Strategies and Small Holders Production in the
South Caucasus” (being implemented by Oxfam and partnered by Elkana in
Georgia).
As a result of discussion of above mentioned issues at the workshop, the
need of the family farming supportive policy elaboration in Georgia and
establishment of the respective national committee, representing a platform of
organizations working on family farming issues, was arisen (about 50 national committees
were established in different countries in 2014).
Therefore, a decision on establishment of the national committee for
family farming was made by the workshop participants and all the twelve
participating organizations, listed below, joined it
1. Georgian Farmers Association;
2. Samtskhe-Javakheti Farmers Association
"Farezi";
3. Professional Beekeepers Association of Georgia;
4. Samtskhe-Javakheti Beekeepers House;
5. Georgian Farmers House;
6. Association “Farmer of Future”;
7. Traditional Viticulture Association of Kartli;
8. Association “Women in Business”;
9. Association European Studies for Innovative Development of Georgia
(ESIDG);
10. ACF South Caucasus Mission;
11. Village Tskruti Farmers Association "Anluchi";
12. Biological Farming Association Elkana (Tbilisi and Akhaltsikhe
Offices)
Workshop participants elected the administrative team members of the
national committee for family farming:
-
Chair – Mariam Jorjadze,
Director of the Biological Farming Association Elkana
-
Secretary – Rusudan
Gigashvili, Chair of the Association “Farmer of Future”
-
Treasurer – Tamar
Naskidashvili, ACF South Caucasus Mission, Deputy Programme Manager
Priorities of the newly established national committee’s work were
defined:
-
Strengthening the
farmers’ movements;
-
Raising public awareness
of the role of family farming in the sustainable production of food,
preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems, etc.;
-
Women’s involvement;
-
Reduction of the
smallholder farmers’ migration;
-
Protection of local
markets and food sovereignty;
-
Participatory surveys
supporting the family farming.
The national committee for family farming will have contact with the
international organizations, working on the same issues, and it will work on
elaboration of the family farming supportive policy. Any organization working
on the family farming issues can join the above mentioned national committee.
