BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.1
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Under the project entitled "Optimizing the Potential of local Assets for Rural Development of Keda Municipality," Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) is to set up a modern strawberry greenhouse in the village of Zendidi of Keda Municipality of Georgia, Trend reports citing Georgia media.
CENN is a non-governmental organization working to protect environment through fostering sustainable development throughout the South Caucasus.
The project is being implemented by CENN in a partnership with the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia, national Institute of Democracy and Austrian Institute for Regional Studies and Spatial Planning (ÖIR).
The objectives of the CENN project are to diversify local economic activities, foster investment, and empower competitive agricultural and environmental practices in Keda Municipality via strategic planning of rural development. The priority of the project is to increase Keda Municipality’s development potential and make optimal use of local resources.
Under the project, the European Union supports agriculture and rural development in Georgia through its ENPARD Program.
Within the framework of the EU-funded project “Optimizing the Potential of Local Assets for Rural Development of Keda Municipality”, implemented by CENN, the results of the second grant competition for rural development have been announced.
In the first stage of the second grant competition, 124 applications were submitted, and in the second stage - 53 applications.
The financial-administrative examination, evaluation and selection of applications was carried out jointly by the Grant Commission, CENN, Institute of Democracy, Keda Local Development Team Governing Council. As a result, 22 projects were selected including five agriculture projects, eight projects on diversification of economic activities, and nine tourism projects.
One of the projects defined by the Keda Municipality Local Development Strategy envisages the establishment of a modern strawberry greenhouse with a system of strawberry cultivation on multi-story shelves. The system will enable a longer vegetation period and large production. The beneficiary is a local resident, Jumber Bezhanidze; the project budget amounts to 18,000 lari ($6,242), and the European Union is funding 14,400 lari ($4,994).
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