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).
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Minister of Agriculture, the National Food Agency and SDC funded, Mercy Corps Georgia implemented ALCP on March 31st 2015. Within the framework of this memorandum ALCP will facilitate the building of two Bio-security yards with water points on the Animal Movement Route in Kvemo Kartli region, another three Bio-security yards will be financed from the State Budget.
The advisors from 5 municipalities of Ajara were trained on how to increase women participation in community meetings. Following the training facilitated by ALCP AJ, they worked with the Village Representatives and as a result of their activities, the attendance of women in these meetings has increased by 10-15%.
Very soon the Kvemo Kartli Region will have a new regional mechanism for Disaster Risk Reduction implemented by Local municipalities and the Kvemo Kartli Governor’s office. The Governor of Kvemo Kartli Paata Khizanishvili discussed this topic with the Gamgebelies of the region, deputy governors, the Mayor of Rustavi City and representatives of Alliances Lesser Caucasus Programme (ALCP) on March 11, 2015. The importance of regional coordination and the necessity of creating working groups in all municipalities were highlighted during the meeting.
The Advisory Committee was established in Ajara, which is supposed to be a forum for regional players representing national, local and regional government, civil society and the private sector to tackle key issues in agriculture sector. The participants discussed the role of the Self-governments in Disaster Risk Reduction, wildlife related issues in the region and also clarified the functions of the newly formed Municipal DRR Working Group in five municipalities of Ajara.
A kindergarten was opened on February 17th in Boslebi Village, Dmanisi municipality as a result of facilitation by the Dmanisi Women’s Room. The Kindergarten will serve 30 children not only Georgians from Boslebi Village but also from neighbor Kakliani Village which is mainly inhabited by Azeris. Four local women will be employed there.
From the ISET Economist news (http://www.iset.ge/news/?p=4633)
By Eric Livny
The “do no harm” (primum non nocere) principle is well known to students of medical schools. It is one of the most fundamental maxims in medicine, as formulated, for example, in the Epidemics book of the Hippocratic Collection:
“The physician must … have two special objects in view with regard to disease, namely, to do good or to do no harm“.
Doctors are taught that medical interventions are not risk-free. Thus, when facing a “problem” one should consider whether to use a particular procedure (e.g. surgery or chemical treatment) or do NOTHING.
Not surprisingly, this very principle has applications in many fields other than healthcare. And it is high time for this principle to be studied and applied in Georgian policymaking.
