Georgia

Economic Prosperity Initiative

Overview:

The four-year Economic Prosperity Initiative (EPI), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), improved enterprise and competitiveness at the industry and country level in Georgia. Working under contract with Deloitte, CNFA implemented activities with a specific emphasis on mandarin, hazelnuts, and greenhouse and open-field vegetables. EPI is providing technical assistance to enterprises, facilitating trade by creating market linkages between producers and buyers, and assisting in strengthening agricultural policy.

EPI selected hazelnuts, mandarins, and several greenhouse vegetables as the focus value chains of this program. These value chains were targeted for technical assistance, training and study tours, as well as grants. CNFA focused specifically on improving the competitiveness of targeted agricultural sectors, working at all points along targeted value chains with agriculture traders, distributors, and buyers; creating access to market information; as well as joining with financial institutions and export buyers.

EPI built upon CNFA’s existing network of 60 farm and machinery service centers in Georgia, which served as delivery points for extension, outreach and advocacy. EPI also built on our work with Georgian processors to improve operations and quality standards (GlobalGAP, ISO, HACCP), enabling them to better respond to international market demand.

Program Approach:

  • Improved the competitiveness of mandarin, hazelnut, and greenhouse and open-field vegetable value chains;
  • Leveraged existing farm and machinery service centers, which served as delivery points for extension, outreach and advocacy;
  • Improved operations and quality standards (GlobalGAP, ISO, HACCP), responding to international market demand;
  • Created Knowledge Plots (KP) and Knowledge Centers (KC) to provide “on-the-field” farmer training.

CNFA’s implementation of the Agriculture Value Chain Component has the following results:

  • Established 46 Farmer Groups in the hazelnut and mandarin sectors with 1,142 active members;
  • Trained 8,459 farmers on agricultural productivity with a 70-75% technology adoption rate. The estimated incremental productivity increase ranges between 25-30% and results in more than an estimated $17,000,000 in additional sales or import substitution;
  • Built 84 agricultural service providers;
  • Trained 209 greenhouse operators, educational institutions, investors and other stakeholders, as well as 54 agronomists of partner Farm Service Centers.