The Road – a beautifully shot documentary capturing the reality and dichotomies of the people who use the ancient transhumance route; the lifeline of livestock in Georgia
The Eco Films LTD film The Road premiered on April 4, 2014 in the assembly hall of Tbilisi State University. The film commissioned by Alliances Kvemo Kartli - a Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency project implemented by Mercy Corps Georgia - depicts the transhumance route from the Kakheti winter pastures to Samtskhe-Javakheti summer highland pastures through Kvemo Kartli region. The documentary shows the traditional cultural context of Georgian sheep farming following one sheep farmer, shepherds and herds along the route it shows the socio-economic importance of this seasonal movement of sheep and its realities and problems within the context of modern Georgia whilst showcasing the diversified nature and beautiful landscape of Georgia.
Creating a film on shepherds’ lives in Georgia is timely as development of agriculture was declared to be the priority of the Georgian Government this year. The film contains important messages for people who are interested to support the growth of sheep farming in Georgia.
“The Georgian regional and central governments are actively involved in regulation of Animal Movement Route’s infrastructure. This film will serve to enhance interest on this issue and I hope the tough life of shepherds, which is shown in the film, will be improved very soon,” – stated the Governor of Kvemo Kartli Region George Mgebrishvili after the premiere.
Almost 200 people attended ‘The Road’ premiere which triggered great interest among people from various fields: film industry, agriculture development, government, educational field and etc.
“The film is very realistic and truthful. I had the feeling that I was there too. It shows all the problems and at the same time is beautiful. We would like to show this film to our students and are also ready to finance our 4th grade students’ study practice in nomadic sheep farming this summer,” – said Teo Urushadze, the Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Natural Sciences of Georgian Agrarian University.
The new documentary was highly appreciated by the audience and Eco Films intend to promote their film, on National and International levels. The screening of The Road is already planned in the Georgian Parliament in Kutaisi initiated and supported by the Head of the Agrarian Committee Mr. Gigla Agulashvili.
In October 24th the first flocks of migrating animals went through the newly arranged bypass route in Tsintskaro village, Tetritskaro Municipality. Testing of the new route was carried out successfully - sheep, cattle, horses, donkeys, dogs and shepherds passed on the new road without any difficulties. The movement was monitored by the Tetritskaro Municipality DRR WG members and the Tsintskaro village Rep.
For scaling up DRR facilitation of Local Self Governments by the programme the meeting was held with the Governor of Kvemo Kartli - Ramin Ismailov.
From the ISET Economist news (http://www.iset.ge/news/?p=3871)
By Eric Livny
Democracy and Freedom Watch reported October 9, that “Georgia’s controversial new immigration law may be changed”. The law, writes DFW, “has caused a wave of confusion and irritation in the country’s expat community. Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili … told journalists that if any defects become apparent after the enactment of the new law, ‘we’ll surely correct it.''
By Helen Bradbury: Team Leader, Alliances Lesser Caucasus Programme
Information matters, it is our currency, the substance, the commodity which keeps our programmes running. We live in an age of information, are afloat on and sometimes drowning in a sea of it. We may check the oracle of google in answer to any question, live feeds, notifications and a torrent of minutiae in a mélange of events of great importance, continually assail us. Once there were spin doctors, now most of us spin daily be it personally or professionally. We are aware of the need to manage information, to have enough of it and of the right kind and most of us are aware too of the need to understand its quality and to know when and what we have is enough or too little.
The villagers of Tsintskaro village have suffered for years from the twice yearly flow of more than 100,000 sheep, cattle, goats, donkeys, horses and shepherd dogs straight past their gates. The problem has been in impasse for years with no real ownership of the issue by the myriad actors involved. Now, the local government has spearheaded the movement to solve the problem calling together support from a group including the MOA, MOE, the Regional Government and Shepherds Association which has been working for three years to improve coordination and bring the matter of the Animal Movement Route to public attention.
Drought is one of the critical disaster issues being typical for Kvemo Kartli and significantly harming agricultural sector in the region. Severe drought that occurred in this area in July-August, 2014 has negatively affected livestock husbandry which resulted with the reduced milk yield, hay production and deteriorated pastures in Kvemo Kartli.
