More than 30 women farmers from Tsalka municipality in Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia took part in gender equality training organized by FAO in the frame of the EU-supported ENPARD Programme. The goal of the training was to increase the awareness of women producers about gender based constraints in the sector, importance of equality and how prevailing gender stereotypes continue to affect rural women and create barriers for their further development.

The training was delivered under the programme promoting Food Safety Farmer Field Schools (FFS) in Tsalka. With FAO support, 30 FFSs are already created, uniting local dairy producers to improve the production of milk products. There are several technical trainings in each FFS covering aspects such as food safety, hygiene in milking, and diagnostic of cattle diseases. The project took the opportunity of this training platform for this training on gender equality for women dairy producers.

“Gender inequality remains one of main concerns for Georgian society and its development agenda. We feel and experience that gender inequality is presented almost in every sector and does not allow us to achieve our full potential,” said Teona Makatsaria, Gender, Social Inclusion, and Extension Officer at FAO Georgia, who conducted the training. “It is very important to start two-way discussion on gender equality issues that continue to affect both women and men and come to an agreement on why it matters,” she added, noting that the participants were actively engaged in discussion about fair distribution of household duties.

Under this project, more than 300 dairy producers are participating in FFS activities, most of them women. FAO trainers plan to reach out to more than 700 women and provide the need-based extension on food safety and gender equality issues by the end of 2022.

“Women farmers play a significant role in many agricultural value chains, and notably in dairy production. However, they have very little access to training, which is very much needed to meet minimum standards on food safety in dairy production. But the platform of Farmer Field Schools provides an excellent tool to also raise the awareness of gender equality in rural areas, on which FAO and EU are fully committed” Javier Sanz Alvarez, EU-FAO Programme Coordinator stated.

The EU is supporting agriculture and rural development in Georgia through its ENPARD programme. Implemented since 2013 with a total budget of EUR 234.5 million, the main goal of ENPARD is to provide economic opportunities in rural areas and reduce poverty in Georgia. More information on ENPARD is available at: https://eu4georgia.eu/enpard/