Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) handed over EUR 10 000 worth soil analysis equipment to the Soil and DNA laboratories of the Scientific-Research Center of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia. Lab furniture, devices and reagents will support work effectiveness growth. FAO Representative in Georgia, Mamuka Meskhi and the Director of the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture, Levan Ujmajuridze visited soil analysis and DNA laboratories and inspected the delivered new equipment, learning the specifics of its use in a work environment.

“FAO continuously supports the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture in the process of adopting innovation and modern technologies. Several years ago, with the support from FAO, the laboratory of seed certification was fully equipped. Now, Soil and DNA laboratories also received the best equipment which will help the centre in the process of reaching the international standards,” FAO Representative in Georgia, Mamuka Meskhi stated.

Soil Analysis Laboratory of the the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture is a member of the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) since 2018. Back in 2019, GLOSOLAN has organized the professional testing of its member laboratories, which included 100 soil analysis laboratories around the world. Georgian soil analysis laboratory was among the 21 best labs which gave the laboratory an opportunity to participate in FAO grant competition and win it. The lab equipment was delivered to the lab under the grant programme.

“Our laboratories actively participate in the international projects; the soil analysis laboratory is especially active in this field. Winning the FAO grant competition is a big achievement for us, the support that our center’s laboratories receive under the frames of this grant will make valid research even more effective,” the Director of the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture, Levan Ujmajuridze stated.

Professor Ivane Sarishvili Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture soil analysis and DNA laboratories started operations in 2017. The soil analysis laboratory performs complete soil analysis, which is used for the evaluation of the agricultural soil, measuring its fertility. The DNA laboratory uses the DNA marking to identify and create the database for the rare and less spread varieties of Georgian grapevine, study Caucasian wild grapevine and its relation to the cultivated grapevine gene pool.