On 16-17 September, together with the community of niche and terroir goods producers from all of Georgia’s regions, the Unique Georgian Taste farmers’ market returned to Tbilisi, Dedaena Park. FAO organised the event under the EU-funded ENPARD IV Program. The Unique Georgian Taste farmers’ market aims to promote the country’s diverse local food products and support the Georgian smallholder producers in reaching potential clients.

With 45 participants, the farmers’ market featured an array of dairy and meat products, honey, confectionery, jams, sauces, tea, wine, and spirits, all reflecting centuries of traditional agricultural and food production knowledge in Georgia.

All the Unique Georgian Taste participants have benefitted from the EU-funded FAO projects in the country. Some have received matching grants to advance their agricultural efforts or attended FAO’s agronomy and veterinary training sessions under ENPARD of the EU. Others have participated in educational sessions about food safety, business management, labelling, and sales, which FAO implemented as part of the EU-funded EU4Business Initiative. 

Among the food producers at the market were the dairy women farmers from Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, who benefited from an SDC-supported project implemented by FAO and the UN Women. They exhibited innovative cheeses, the production of which they have mastered in FAO’s Farmer Field Schools in the region.

In 2023, the Unique Georgian Taste participants will undergo additional training on food safety and business management under the ENPARD IV of the EU. With the EU support, FAO will also support them in labelling their products and becoming more competitive.

“The Georgian food products truly tell remarkable stories of the country’s heterogeneous culture and history. With the Unique Georgian Taste farmers’ market, through the support of the EU, FAO has been proudly supporting, since 2022, the smallholder producers of niche and terroir goods and helping consumers discover the country's uniqueness. Now that these products are better known, we are focusing on supporting the smallholder producers in improving the quality and food safety standards of their products, so they can produce high-quality niche goods that unite the Georgian traditions and top-quality standards,” says Javier Sanz Alvarez, FAO Programme Coordinator.

“The EU supports the producers of niche and terroir goods in adapting to the new safe food production standards. This is the path toward ensuring that Georgia’s unique flavours are even more competitive and nutritious for its consumers and beyond. As the process of approximation to the EU’s food safety legislation moves forward, it is necessary to share knowledge on food safety with all stakeholders. The Unique Georgian Taste farmers’ market is a useful format for doing so,” says Ketevan Khutsishvili, Programme Manager for Emergency Management, Civil Protection, Rural Development, and Intellectual Property Delegation of the European Union to Georgia.

In 2023, the Unique Georgian Taste farmers’ markets will be held three more times to support the producers of niche and terroir goods in showcasing their products. Since 2022, the farmers’ market has been held eleven times already. The Unique Georgian Taste events have created and enhanced connections between customers, the country’s niche goods producers, and the retail and hospitality sectors. Indeed, many of the farmers’ market participants are now selling their products in niche shops in the country’s major cities. In total, the farmers’ markets generated a total of more than GEL 170 000 in sales. Around 55 niche and terroir goods producers have participated in the Unique Georgian Taste events, with 58 per cent being women.

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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 has also been 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.