The Georgian Beekeepers Union (GBU) successfully advocated for permits to be issued for beekeepers allowing them to continue work during the curfew.
The Government of Georgia declared the nationwide curfew on March 30th, 2020 to restrict the spread of the COVID-19 virus, prohibiting any movement from 9:00 PM to 06:00 AM. This posed a serious problem for beekeepers who rely on transhumance predominantly at night.
In Georgia, bee transhumance allows for beekeepers to place hives at different altitudes to capture the flowering of different plants. Starting from late Spring, Georgian beekeepers start to move apiaries to get different types of honey including Acacia,Chestnut, Alpine, Linden. The transhumance of bees significantly increases their honey productivity.
On April 4th, the GBU sent an official letter to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA) asking for the issuing of permission/passes for beekeepers including the guidance it developed for beekeepers during the Covid-19 outbreak.
‘We asked the Minister to mediate with the appropriate agencies to issue special permits, so that beekeepers may access their apiaries and work there, transport beekeeping apiaries for transhumance on pre-determined routes within the curfew conditions.’ – Avksenti Papava, the Director of the GBU.
Up to eight hundred beekeepers have already used permits, who are now able to visit apiaries and carry out vital seasonal treatment and maintenance. Bees are transported at night where possible, because they do not leave a hive during night, which the permit makes possible.
‘I have my apiaries located in the different regions for getting various types of honey. I was very happy to hear about special permit for beekeepers, as it is very active season in beekeeping. I am able to freely move to the locations and do not worry about time limitations’ – Kakhaber Zirakasvili, a beekeeper.
Guidance and contact information on getting permits and the Covid-19 recommendations have been shared by the GBU on its facebook page.
The Georgian Beekeepers Union (www.geobeekeepers.ge) is an umbrella association uniting ten beekeeping associations and three commercial beekeeping companies with more than four thousand Georgian beekeepers. It was established to represent their interests and to promote the health and development of the honey sector in Georgia with the facilitation of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) project the Mercy Corps Georgia implemented Alliances Caucasus Programme (ALCP).
Three local women have been employed by the Association for Each Other through Keda municipality Women’s Room. The women will conduct a survey about the people with disabilities in every administrative unit and village of the municipality.
“The Women’s Room has given me an opportunity to get my own income. It’s temporary, but I think it will be the beginning of my active social life. This experience will give me new skills and become more involved in the local activities, I want to use this chance and make new linkages“. – says Mari Baramidze, one of the employed wom
The Spring transhumance of the annual movement million heads of livestock has recently started. Georgian Shepherds will benefit from two new Bio Security Points in Dedoplistskaro and Signagi in addition to existing points in Marneuli and Rustavi municipalities. All four BSPs are in full operational mode ready to serve nomadic farmers. EU standard infrastructure, duly equipped specialists hired by the NFA and the special chemicals for treating animals against parasites - are in place to ensure health control of migrated livestock. A special certificate is also issued for farmers proving the livestock was treated against external parasites.
Two more BSPs in Telavi and Bolnisi municipalities funded by the government of Georgia are now underway and will be finished by the end of 2017.
'Jara' has been premiered on 30th of March with great success. More than 400 representatives from the regional and central government, the non-governmental sector, the donor organizations gave standing ovations and applauses to the film makers and artists.
‘The film is shot in a professional manner. It is astonishing and wild to see. I have no idea how the crew has managed to shoot the bears and wolves. The special tribute should be paid to the composer of the film’s original soundtracks. It should be seen by as many people as possible: melancholy of the season changings, music and just amazing views of the wild nature, never seen in the daily lives’ – Dima Pursanov.
The promotion of Ajara as a world class ecological hotspot and eco-tourism destination is soon set for a massive boost. Filming on the ALCP facilitated Eco Films production ‘Jara’, a 52 minutes, a half-wildlife, half-human story observational documentary about mountains of one specific region of Republic of Georgia – Ajara, has been completed and the premiere will be held at Amirani Cinema on the 30th of March. The film has brought together various conservation stakeholders World Wildlife Fund Georgia, Caucasus Nature Fund, Eco Tours Georgia, Environmental Association Psovi, to produce what will be a stunning showcase of the beauty, nature and unique livelihoods of the rural inhabitants of Ajara.
The programme has already worked with EcoTours Ltd on developing Ajara as a destination for rural tourism based on nature and people. View their promotional video here and visit their website where they offer tailor-made tours to help you unlock the beauty of the region.
Equitable Empowerment in Georgia, an event celebrating community responses to equitable local government initiatives empowering women and men in communities of three regions of Georgia, will be held at Hualing Hotel in Tbilisi on the 17th of March, under the patronage of the Gender Equality Council of the Parliament of Georgia.
Please see the event website www.eeg.ge.
Up to 500 delegates - National, Regional and Local Government decision-makers, Women's Rooms managers and villages representatives, civil society and private sector and the women and men of the communities themselves - will present their motivations, methods and achievements. Likeminded people from the worlds of sport, culture, business and entertainment who seek to enrich the lives of women and men and boys and girls in Georgia in their work will speak and share their view about why this matters. Showcase stands from communities, enterprises, private sector, media and civil society will add colour and interest framed by the photographs of the municipal photo competition.
The event has been facilitated through the Alliances Lesser Caucasus Programme funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and implemented by Mercy Corps Georgia.
The first Women’s Business Forum was held on the 31st of January, in Batumi, Ajara, the event hosted by the Association of Businesswomen of Ajara (ABWA) of the Ajara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) in partnership with the Women’s Rooms municipal service. For the first time in Ajara, 140 representatives of local, regional and central government and private sector have gathered to share their experience and look for business growth opportunities.
For more information on the event's impression here .
