Following on from the meeting with Shorena Bziava on May 21st in Kutaisi, Alliances KK met with Davit Narmania, the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia. The main purpose of the meeting was introducing the Minister with Women’s Room, a new municipal service in Dmanisi, Tetritskaro and Tsalka municipalities, facilitated by the Alliances KK programme. Mr. David was informed about the main idea of WR and the services offered there. The information about the activities, the events carried out and the number of visitors since the establishment of WRs – were also overviewed. GENDER GUIDELINS for VILLAGE REPS with flyers of Women’s Room and Newsletter were presented and discussed.
Davit Narmania is the only minister from nineteen who has an advisor on Gender issues in ministry’s staff, so he had shown the great interest in supporting the Women’s Rooms for scaling up this new municipal service to the national level.
Davit Narmania: “Based on an official letter on behalf of your programme the ministry could be prepare recommendation for all 65 municipalities countrywide, advising self-governments to have a particular employer who works specifically on Gender issue.”
At this time the Ministry works on a new law on Self-Government. Mr. Davit Narmania also expressed his readiness to consider a new amendment in this draft law which will indicate the linkage with the Law on Gender Equality 2010. Consequently having a specific stuff member on Gender issues will be guaranteed not only by MRDI’s recommendations, but regulated by the law.
In September, Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia David Narmania and Alliances KK Programme Director Helen Bradbury will meet to discuss further steps of cooperation.
Construction of the two Bio Security Points (BSP) on the Animal Movement Routes in Marneuli and Rustavi is now on a final stage.
Each 2000 square meters point is already concreted and fenced and the sheep dips and cattle showers are ready and the site office in place. The 50 ton galvanized water Tanks imported from the UK are installed. For both points the NFA will hire staff including a veterinarian.
The OLMA trade show – a Swiss Agricultural and Food Fair has been held every year since 1943 in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The year’s 74th exhibition was held from 8-18 of October. 623 exhibitors and 375000 visitors attended the show.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) was the one of the exhibitors this year. The SDC created 8 country stands including that of the Swiss Cooperation Office for the South Caucasus.
Name: Natural Produktsia Ltd
Place: Dioknisi Village, Khulo Municipality
Type of business: Cheese Factory
Product: Imeruli Cheese
Suppliers: about 450 women from 13 villages of Khulo
Current production per day: 5 tons of milk (700 kg of cheese)
The Problem
The 450 women now selling milk directly to the milk collectors of the Natural Produktsia Ltd Factory in Dioknisi, Khulo used to make cheese from their milk. Women are responsible for milking the household cattle and making the cheese, butter, sour cream and cottage cheese which is then sold as an important part of the family’s livelihood.
Selling these products however is hard and uncertain. The journey by marshutka to Batumi Agrarian Market can take up to 4 hours on bad roads. It is taken to the market by husbands or other male family members or sent with the driver and met by a relative who then tries to sell it. There is no guarantee of a sale and often the family is forced to accept a low price from the market vendors rather than take it home again.
The NFA announced a tender on September 28th for the construction of two further Bio Security Points of the same design in Dedoplistskaro and Sighnaghi municipalities. The tender winner company was identified on October 5th.
For the first time in Georgia 6 universities will soon offer specialized courses on agricultural journalism.
The universities in Batumi, Kutaisi, Gori, Telavi, Akhaltcikhe and Caucasus International Universities in Tbilisi who already offer academic programmes on journalism, mass communications and agricultural education will now add agro journalism. The course prospective tutors have just had Training of Trainers for two days.
Following work in KK and SJ the Women’s Room model is being replicated in Ajara region, where Ajara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) is proving an invaluable partner by opening the first Women’s Room at the Association of Business Women of Ajara (ABWA).
The “Women’s Room” will open up opportunities for the ABWA in terms of coordinating activities, trainings, advocacy raising meetings and information sharing. All these will contribute into stimulating women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment and attracting more women members to the association.
