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President of the European Investment Bank, Werner Hoyer visits EU funded project in Jighaura supporting the Georgian wine sector

02.03.2021

Within the framework of his visit to Georgia, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Werner Hoyer together with Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Programme Coordinator, Javier Sanz Alvarez visited the Scientific-Research Centre of Agriculture of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture in Jighaura, where the EU is working with FAO to support the Georgian agriculture sector.
 
Since 2019, the Scientific-Research Centre of Agriculture of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture in Jighaura is one of the beneficiaries of a €5.2 million EU project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
 
President Hoyer visited live grape collections, met with local farmers and business, benefitting from EU support and examined new screenhouses constructed under the project, which will help preserve the genetic purity of grape varieties unique to Georgia.  

All activities are part of EU support to certification of the grape seedling sector in Georgia, which will help increase farm yields, develop the seedling industry and open the door for Georgian exports to the EU.  This project is one of over 200 different EU funded projects supporting Georgia’s development.

“I'm really impressed by Georgian agriculture and by the creativity of the people here who are successful in Georgian, but also in European markets. It is a real pleasure to be here. The European Union and its bank, EIB, were very supportive of the sector when it comes to the overall picture, but also when it comes to the individual SMEs financing via our partner banks here in Georgia,” said Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB).

"With the support of the European Union, we have been implementing a number of important projects and reforms. This is an outstanding support because, in addition to the tangible progress and development of both agricultural and environmental sectors, it is helping Georgia on its way to European integration. Georgian agricultural products are gradually gaining recognition in European markets, we are introducing international standards in production and creating competitive products. Our legal framework and the important activities related to environmental protection are approaching European standards," said Levan Davitashvili, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.

“The screenhouses inaugurated today will allow for a safe conservation of Georgian endemic grape varieties. Georgia has an extremely rich biodiversity of grapes, and its correct preservation will allow the private nurseries to produce certified seedlings. In the end, Georgian farmers will benefit of certified grape seedlings which are of high quality and phytosanitary standards, but also allowing for export opportunities in the near future,” said Javier Sanz Alvarez, FAO Programme Coordinator.

“Being an organic farmer and owner of a nursery, it became evident that without quality seedlings, farmers cannot succeed. We want to produce quality seedlings in accordance with the best international standards. It will not be only our achievement as a nursery, it will be also the success of all farmers,” said Tea Kutateladze, owner of one of the private nurseries that are benefitting from the project.

About the project
This project is a continuation of EU and FAO efforts since 2013 to support the Georgian agriculture sector through certification.  Certification has numerous benefits for Georgia:

  • Certified high-quality seeds and seedlings can increase yields for Georgian farmers by up to a third, increasing farmer incomes;
  • Mandatory certification will help develop a Georgian seed producer and nursery industry, which would otherwise be undercut by uncertified products or lose out to foreign certified producers;
  • Lack of certification hampers Georgian opportunities to export agriculture commodities to EU countries under the Association Agreement and DCFTA;

In addition:

  • Certification processes include establishing ‘genebanks’ which preserve the genetic purity of plant material in a safe environment free of pest and plant diseases.  This is crucial for Georgian biodiversity, which claims 400+ unique grape varieties.


About EU support to agriculture
This project is part of wider EU support to the agriculture sector in Georgia.  Since 2013 the EU has allocated over €234.5 million for activities such as farmer education, legal reforms, rural development or food safety around the country. To date, over 250,000 farmers in Georgia have benefitted from EU support.  

For more information on EU projects in Georgia, please visit: www.eu4georgia.ge