The 45th Apimondia Congress 2017, the most significant event in beekeeping worldwide, will take place from 29th of September to 4th of October, in Istanbul, Turkey. For the first time in Apimondia’s hundred years of history, Georgia will be at this world forum, represented by the Ajarian Beekeeping Business Association (ABBA), exhibiting the different types of honey of its members and promoting Georgian honey and beekeeping.
Apimondia promotes scientific, ecological, social and economic apicultural development in all countries and the cooperation of beekeepers' associations, scientific bodies and individuals involved in apiculture all over the world. This event is a unique opportunity for Georgia to promote itself as a honey producer and claim a place next to world leading honey producers. The recent placing of Georgia on the list of third countries for honey only further cements the credibility of Georgia as a viable producer country.
Georgia has been extensively promoted internationally as the birthplace of winemaking. Apimondia provides the first opportunity to put energy into a new promotion; of Georgia as the homeland of the oldest honey ever discovered, preserver of ancient beekeeping traditions as shown in the recent Jara movie and producer of a wide variety of artisanal natural honey and bee products fueled by the un-paralleled flora of Georgia’s uniquely bio diverse and unspoiled landscape.
It is no coincidence that Ajara will be representing Georgian honey production. Recent years have seen increasing development of the honey sector in Ajara showcased in the annual Batumi Honey Festival held every year in August.
In addition to association members, the trade group will include, Ajarian honey producer Matchakhela Ltd, leading national honey producer and inputs supplier Futkara Group, representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture of Ajara Autonomous Republic and the Ajara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). Their participation at the congress has been facilitated by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) project the Mercy Corps Georgia implemented Alliances Caucasus Programme (ALCP) in cooperation with the Ajarian Beekeeping Business Association (ABBA) operating under the Ajara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).
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
