After months of intensive construction work and four and a half years of multi-stakeholder advocacy the first Bio Security Point on the AMR has been opened. By the next transhumance season spring 2016, the country will have proper infrastructure for ensuring systematic health control of the livestock in place.
The event was attended by the Regional Director for Swiss Cooperation Office for the South Caucasus, by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, the Head of the National Food Agency, the Governor and Gamgebelies of Kvemo Kartli region and the representatives of private and non-governmental sector. The event was widely covered by the national media.
„Sheep farming is one of the oldest sectors of Georgian agriculture which has a big potential for growth. The project is an important element of a comprehensive approach of the National Food Agency and the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia on animal traceability and identification,” - said Olivier Bürki, Regional Director for Swiss Cooperation Office for the South Caucasus.
“This is a multi-stakeholder effort and it has just proved if you can talk sensibly together you can have results. Let’s see it as really the first step on the next stage of the road to a successful, flourishing livestock industry” - stated Helen Bradbury, Team Leader of ALCP.
The infrastructural project has been implemented as a result of joint effort of the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Food Agency and Swiss Cooperation Office (SCO) funded, Mercy corps implemented Alliances Lesser Caucasus Programme (ALCP). The current finalization of two bio-security points by the ALCP and a further four in process by the government marks a serious milestone in the future development of a profitable livestock sector in Georgia.
The previous ALCP News on the facilitation of the Animal Movement Route issue are available on the following links:
Bio Security Points - Coming Soon
Minister Publicizes Animal Movement Route Work
MOU for Building a Modern Infrastructure of Animal Movement Route
Government Momentum Builds on AMR
A documentary about the Tradition of Transhumance in Georgia
Manana Dumbadze was one of fifteen guesthouse owners from Keda, Shuakhevi and Khulo invited to attend an educational seminar hosted by the Goderdzi Alpine Garden (GAG) on September 18th on how biodiversity, conversation and Jara beekeeping can be used for business promotion and attracting more tourists.
‘The seminar was interesting and will motivate me to generate new ideas. I am arranging a garden in front of my house and I received information about plants. The GAG promised to help me to do it. I have beehives but I’m thinking of switching to Jara beekeeping, because it will be more interesting to our visitors, as it carries a traditional value.’ Manana Dumbadze, a guesthouse owner.
The seminar participants agreed on further coordination and information dissemination among others.
‘I am planning to have a Jara apiary from the next year. I will also include the GAG on our tour. I have a small cottage on the Goderdzi Pass, and I am planning to have visitors there.’ Nodar Shervashidze, a guesthouse owner.
Representatives of the Batumi Botanical Garden (BBG) and specialists from the BBG’s Local Flora and Conservation Department will continue educational seminars for teachers and school students in the upcoming year. The GAG is developing its role in wild flora conservation and eco-education with seminars and a beekeeping area, aiming to publicize the value conservation and traditional Jara beekeeping can have for sustainable local development and teach people interested in taking it up.
Officially opened in July, 2020, the GAG has already attracted sixteen thousand visitors since the opening, making it the prominent tourist destination in mountainous Ajara.
Emili is a young girl who has become an internet sensation in Georgia. Her YouTube channels Emili TV and Emili Family TV reach 708,000 subscribers. She regularly shares educational and entertainment content, including films about products she likes, many parents and their children watch her shows and follow her recommendations. Through ALCP facilitation, she (and her production team) decided to ‘investigate’ the Georgian Milk Mark.
The Georgian Milk Mark (GMM) films (on Emili TV and Emili Family TV) have reached 360,000 views just in two weeks.
Traditional Jara beekeeping has reached a new audience through a report on Al Jazeera English and its Youtube Channel, with an audience of forty million in Gulf States alone. The report was developed in Ajara with assistance of the Jara Beekeepers Association (JBA), telling stories of female and male Jara beekeepers, emphasizing commercialization and future opportunities for Jara honey.
The Prime Minister of Georgia, the Chairman of the Ajara Autonomous Republic, the Mayor of Tbilisi City, and other government officials visited the Agro-Keda factory in Keda to see the honey production and packaging process, along with other Nena production. The honey showcase, Jara hive, different types of Nena produced honey for tasting, and honey catalogues were their favorites. The Prime Minister asked questions related to honey export and took the catalogues to find more details about honey.
Located in Khulo, Ajara at 2000m above sea level, the Goderdzi Alpine Garden is now open. On Thursday, two hundred guests from government, municipal agencies, non-governmental and international organizations, travel agencies, scientists and botanists attended the opening ceremony.
Huge government support was there.
‘Opening of this natural monument will help Khulo municipality with further growth. We are working on the development of the local infrastructure. Those works together are increasing income for locals. My Special thanks to the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency, Adjaristskalli LLC, and other organizations for making this project happen.’ – Tornike Rijvadze, the Chairman of the Ajara Autonomous Republic.
The Swiss Ambassador highlighted how natural treasure can positively impact local habitants, the means of quality-oriented tourism.
‘From the very beginning, we acknowledged the importance of the Goderdzi Alpine Garden not only for the region but also for Georgia at large. It is the initiative where eco-friendly tourism and agriculture are forcing each other for the benefit of rural settlers of the mountainous Ajara. It is also helping market with locally produced cheese, wild Jara honey and other local product.’ – Patric Franzen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Switzerland to Georgia.
The Goderdzi Alpine Garden is an example of public-private cooperation.
‘Important thing about this is the sharing. We had a vision, we went to the Batumi Botanical Garden and shared this vision of taking this beauty and using it in the countryside so that all the people living here can also enjoy this vision. The opening of this garden is a symbol of positivity in a very negative time globally, a symbol of people getting together for something good.’ – Helen Bradbury, the ALCP Team Leader.
The main backer of the Goderdzi Alpine Garden is the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) through the Mercy Corps Georgia implemented Alliances Caucasus Programme (ALCP). The project is supported by the Hydropower Company Adjaristskali and the Government of Ajara Autonomous Republic. The garden is being developed with the backstopping of Munich and Lautaret Botanic Gardens.
Follow the links on the opening of the Goderdzi Alpine Garden: Ajara TV, Imedi TV, Ajara Government FB, Ajara Tourism Department FB.
Last week, Tsivis Kveli Ltd in Kakheti distributed 250 kg different types of GMM cheese through the distribution company Georgian Imports in hypermarkets and cafés throughout Chicago. The dairy is now planning the next export in a few weeks.
