© FAO/Aidai Anarbek kyzy

Nestled near the Khrami River, the Georgian villages of Dioknisi and Maradisi from Marneuli municipality share more than just a landscape —they are united by a common history and a forward-looking vision. Established in the early 1990s by Adjarians fleeing natural disasters, these villages have cultivated a strong sense of community.

In Dioknisi and Maradisi, agriculture thrives as farmers produce a variety of vegetables both in open fields and greenhouses. Among their main crops are cabbages, lettuces, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchinis, and a diverse array of seedlings.

These communities have embarked on a transformative journey under the Digital Villages Initiative (DVI) of FAO. Through participatory sessions, the community members collectively identified key challenges and assets of their rural area, laying the groundwork for evidence-based solutions to uplift and empower the villages. Together, they crafted a shared vision for digital transformation, designing actions tailored to address their unique challenges and leverage upon their key assets. This collaborative effort will culminate in a dynamic joint roadmap, set to guide and shape a brighter future for both villages.

FAO’s DVI aims to harness the power of digital technologies to boost agricultural production, enhance access to rural services and uplift rural livelihoods in Marneuli villages.

About the FAO Digital Villages Initiative

The Digital Villages Initiative is a flagship programme of FAO aiming to transform at least     1 000 villages around the world into digital hubs. The initiative seeks to foster rural transformation and empower communities through digitalization to combat hunger, poverty and inequality. It takes a participatory approach, co-creating interventions with rural communities to enhance their capacities and build resilience, ensuring long-term sustainability.