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 ravine crossing, that had been the most problematic part of the route – was easy to overcome. Only one problem acquired – because of the grass, flocks were moving very slowly and shepherds did not hurry to leave this section. The movement was monitored by the Tetritskaro Municipality DRR WG members and the Tsintskaro village Rep.
The villagers of Tsintskaro village were suffering from bi-annual livestock transhumance during decades. The flow of hundreds of heads of livestock moved through the main road of the settlement, straight pasting their gates and bringing dust, noise, animal diseases, frequent conflicts and in general making their everyday life just unbearable during livestock transhumance period.
The infrastructure project of arranging 4150 meters long alternative, bypass route in this particular village commenced in May, 2014, after the local government of Tetritskaro Municipality 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.
Mercy Corps, Alliances KK has contracted “Eco Films” a Georgian independent wildlife film company to create a documentary about shepherds of Kvemo Kartli region. In the film “Two Week to Reach the Clouds” the process of animal movement from winter pastures in Kakheti to summer pastures in Kvemo Kartli will be depicted following a herder family during two-week-long trip from the lowlands to the highlands. The aim of the documentary is to show the cultural-traditional context of Georgian sheep farming based on the example of one sheep farmer family and its herd. The film will also show social as well as economic importance of the sheep migration and associated problems within the context of Georgia’s diversified nature and landscape.
The Feasibility Study for the Animal Movement Rout and animal disease notification and control, two key topics were discussed on the 4th advisory committee on the 29th of March. At the beginning of the meeting the Alliances KK Programme Director Ms. Helen Bradbury provided a brief presentation concerning the interventions of the programme.
These Guidelines for the Application and Implementation of the Law on Gender Equality of Georgia by Local Self Government Bodies was developed with members of the Local Self Governments of Dmanisi, Tsalka and Tetritskaro municipalities in line with an initiative supported by the Regional Government of Kvemo Kartli
