BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept.2
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Through its ENPARD program, the European Union (EU) is modernizing Georgian agriculture by supporting the rollout of the agriculture cooperative model, leading to the establishment of 1,200 cooperatives in Georgia, EU delegation in Georgia told Trend.
"The EU’s financial and technical support aims to help farmers improve their working conditions and income. EU support has also helped establish 59 information and consultation centers around the country, which have trained over 250,000 farmers," the EU delegation said.
As the delegation noted, through Local Action Groups, the EU has supported 360 local development initiatives in rural areas, which have provided better employment conditions for over 1,000 households and improved living conditions for over 10,000 people.
"Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the Georgian economy. To support their development, the EU provides funding, training, and export support through its EU4Business initiative. Since 2009, 40,000 SMEs, micro-enterprises, and farmers have received loans," the delegation added.
Georgia and the European Union have maintained relations since 1996 in the INOGATE framework, and in 2006 a five-year "Action Plan" of rapprochement was implemented in the context of the European Neighborhood Policy.
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