Tbilisi – A workshop for preparing the National Aquaculture Development Strategy of Georgia was held at ExpoGeorgia. The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), with the European Union (EU) support through its ENPARD programme.

The workshop gathered participants from the aquaculture sector, including the representatives of the Ministry of the Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, the EU Delegation to Georgia, the National Environmental Agency, farmers’ associations, individual farmers, private sector, exporters, and other governmental institutions such as the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia and the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara.

Space for exchange and reflection was provided during the workshop to identify the vision, mission, goals, and objectives of the National Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Aquaculture in Georgia. As a result of the presentations, group work and discussions, specific actions were agreed upon by the participants, and the next steps for the development of the Strategy were introduced.

“Developing aquaculture that is more productive, environmentally sustainable, and inclusive, can be a driver of economic growth in some rural areas in Georgia. The support to the aquaculture sector has clear implications in better nutrition and poverty reduction, and may create unprecedented international trading opportunities, as well as enriching the country’s domestic market,” stated Javier Sanz-Alvarez, FAO-EU Programme Coordinator.

“We have made some important steps as a result of the productive workshop and the field visits, which will accelerate the development of the national strategy of aquaculture. The support of the EU and FAO have been playing an essential role in this process, which is becoming a vital building block for Georgia’s agricultural development,” said Jumper Maruashvili, Senior National Policy Advisor, FAO Georgia.

“After having conducted a comprehensive value-chain analysis of the freshwater aquaculture sector in Georgia, we are delighted to be able to support the development of a comprehensive aquaculture strategy for the country. This shows how much potential we think the aquaculture sector has in addressing food security in the country but also as a potential export commodity under the DCFTA. We call on all contributors to the development of this strategy to ensure that it is respectul of international environmental, quality and food safety standards, while ensuring consumer protection, inclusiveness and gender equity. Integrating best practices from other countries and involving the private sector/producers from the very start will be key in ensuring the comprehensiveness of this new strategy. In that regard, and considering Georgia’s legitimate ambition to align on EU standards and practices, the Georgia aquaculture strategy could find some inspiration in the EU “new strategic vision for sustainable aquaculture production and consumption”, which has been developed under the scope of the EU Green Deal” stated Georges Dehoux, Programme Manager for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Safety at the EU Delegation to Georgia.

The European Union is supporting rural development in Georgia through its ENPARD Programme. Aiming to reduce rural poverty, ENPARD has been implemented since 2013, with a total budget of Euro 179.5 million. The first phase of ENPARD focused on developing national agriculture potential, while the second and third phases concentrate on creating economic opportunities for the rural population that go beyond agricultural activities. More information on ENPARD is available at: www.enpard.ge.