Under the ENPARD Programme of the European Union (EU), FAO has implemented conservation agriculture practices for cereal farming communities in Georgia for the past four years. Notably, no-till farming is promoted through technical training sessions and access to no-till planters.

So far, FAO and the EU have supported 200 cereal farmers in planting 1 000 hectares of land. In Georgia, much like in other countries, the no-till farming method has proven to be economically beneficial since it does not require ploughing or disking. This way, farmers save money on fuel and mechanisation.

Conservation agriculture practices also make cereal fields more environmentally resilient, as crop residues from previous harvests create a protective layer over the soil. 

This year, the monks from two Monasteries in the Ude village in Samtskhe-Javakheti and nuns from the Monastery of St. Nino have adopted the conservation agriculture method, which, in Georgia, is still relatively new, primarily due to the lack of no-till planting aggregates in the country.  

“In general, I was interested in this technology because you are not touching the soil structure as much, and it allows for natural enrichment of the soil,” says Archimandrite Grigol, who leads these monasteries. He adds, “I watched a show on this method and started researching it.” 

Finally, after reaching out to the governate of Samtskhe-Javakheti, the monks of the region got connected with FAO in Georgia. Through the support of the EU, FAO shared the no-till farming knowledge with them while providing access to the Organization’s planters. This is how, for the first time, the monks in Samtskhe-Javakheti started utilising the no-till farming methodology to reap its benefits and promote conservation agriculture, which is innovative for Georgian farmers. 

Archimandrite Grigol is the leader of the Fathers’ Monastery of Anthim the Iberian and the Mothers’ Monastery of St. Nino in the Ude village, and the Monastery of St. Grigol Khangtsteli.

The conservation agriculture concept reduces production expenditures and makes the soil more resilient toward environmental risk factors. Archimandrite Grigol says, “We might not have been able to seed grains last year since all operations have become more expensive – ploughing, disking, and so on. With this method, these are not necessary anymore.” Indeed, the no-till farming method saves costs for farmers as they need to utilise less machinery and fuel. Moreover, producers become less weather-dependent since less time is required to plant. Hence, no-till farming helps cereal producers save money and potentially increase their income. 

Beyond timely seeding, the no-till farming method protects fields from soil erosion, droughts, and excessive precipitation, some of the significant challenges Georgian farmers face. Since the structure of the soil remains intact after sowing, with natural mulch protecting it, the grain fields are more resilient toward these environmental risks. As a result, farmers can maintain their yield capacities, even during environmentally challenging growing seasons.   

Archimandrite Grigol indicates that soil erosion is challenging in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region because “there is a lot of wind where our fields are. The wind dismantles the soil. By using this method, we will have better results.” 

He also emphasises that the monasteries under his leadership have been seeding and harvesting cereal for five years. He thinks they have “gotten the best results by utilising the [no-till farming] methodology.” 

Archimandrite Grigol plans to continue integrating the conservation agriculture methodology in the agricultural efforts of the three monasteries in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. 

“I would recommend [farmers] to pay attention to innovation because everything moves forward not only in terms of technologies. It is noteworthy that religious leaders are at the forefront of implementing innovation, including in agriculture,” he says, adding, "This makes me very happy and think that our followers, residents will take an example of us and open up to innovation, and we will all progress.” 

“The EU and FAO  have been supporting conservation agriculture, particularly no-till planting, already for several years in Georgia under the ENPARD Programme. We are delighted with the results of this new technology and the enthusiasm from cereal producers, mainly driven by the reduction in costs. But the environmental aspect of conservation agriculture transcends its economic benefits. In a drought-prone area like east Georgia, these practices can make a real change to ensure the sustainability of cereal production,” says Javier Sanz Alvarez, FAO Programme Coordinator.

“In light of climate change, the weather-dependent agriculture industries in Georgia are strongly affected by the ever-changing climatic conditions. Supporting the country’s farmers in responding to the environmental risk factors is important in this process, and the EU, together with FAO, is doing so by introducing the no-till farming method. Over the last few years, under ENPARD of the EU, we have been successfully demonstrating how this conservation agriculture methodology can have a massive impact on saving costs and, importantly, help farmers adapt to the changing climate. We proudly support Georgia’s cereal producers by sharing knowledge and providing access to technologies, " says Ketevan Khutsishvili, Programme Manager for Emergency Management, Civil Protection, Rural Development, and Intellectual Property Delegation of the European Union to Georgia. 

In October 2023, the EU and FAO will further support farmers planting during the Autumn season. Hence, more Georgian farmers in Kakheti, Shida Kartli, and Samtskhe-Javakheti will be able to adopt the conservation agriculture methodology to ensure that their yield capacities are maintained or improved while also making their fields more environmentally resilient.

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The European Union supports rural development in Georgia through its ENPARD Programme. Aiming to reduce rural poverty, ENPARD has been implemented since 2013. The Programme started by supporting the development of national agriculture potential. Afterwards, it concentrated also on creating economic opportunities for rural populations in Georgia. Since 2021, the Programme is also working on improving food safety in the country, with the support of FAO and the Czech Development Agency as the main implementers of this food safety component under ENPARD IV.

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This article has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the project implementer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.