Up to 50 farmers and producers participated in a three-day training in Gori, Georgia, to study and practice the best techniques for pruning fruit orchards. The event was organized by FAO under the EU-funded Joint UN project “Innovative Action for Private Sector Competitiveness in Georgia”.

The participants of the training received theoretical knowledge on proper pruning techniques and then practiced the hands-on application of what they have learned. The practical part of the sessions was conducted in apple, pear and cherry orchards in the village of Ghveli, near Gori. The workshop provided recommendations on how to avoid practices that may reduce yields, thereby decreasing farmers’ incomes.

At the end of the training, the participants were awarded certificates for successfully completing the training modules. Javier Sanz Alvarez, Coordinator of FAO’s EU-funded projects in Georgia, remarked that importance of correct pruning to ensure the maximum yield, as well as to keep the trees healthy. FAO will continue to support Georgian farmers, rural producers and extension specialists with different workshops, seminars and publications to enhance their knowledge and improve their production systems.

The EU Innovative Action for Private Sector Competitiveness in Georgia is an EU-funded initiative implemented by UN agencies -  FAO, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) - in cooperation with private companies and business associations. Drawing on an overall budget of up to 6 million USD, the initiative will continue until the end of 2023. Under the FAO component, FAO is supporting the promotion of nurseries that provide seedlings to farmers, and this pruning festival helped to increase the capacities of farmers to better take care of their orchards, and to raise awareness of the importance of keeping well managed orchards for a better productivity and income.

The project is part of the wider EU4Business support to the private sector development in Georgia, which aims to assist Georgian entrepreneurs, improve legal environment, facilitate access to finance and strengthen ties with the European Union.