BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 23
By Maryana Akhmedova – Trend:
The UN Development Program (UNDP) with the EU funding and in partnership with the Rural Development Agency of Georgia’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture implemented a number of initiatives in Georgia in 2021, Giorgi Nanobashvili, the UNDP Economic Development Team Leader in Georgia, told Trend.
According to Nanobashvili, one of the UNDP’s initiatives in Georgia was the “Digitalise Your Business” training program. Up to 300 enterprises were participating, and eight enterprises were selected through a competitive process to join the mentoring exercise and get prepared for applying digital business tools in practice.
Business Recovery Bootcamps and Contingency Training was another UNDP’s program in Georgia, which managed to help rural entrepreneurs cope with the economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and more than 100 rural enterprises received support through it.
“Over 400 rural households and businesses in eight municipalities (Akhalkalaki, Borjomi, Dedoplistskaro, Kazbegi, Keda, Khulo, Lagodekhi and Tetritskaro) took part in the Green Matching Grants Program to get access to energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies,” the UNDP representative said.
Meanwhile, more than 80 rural entrepreneurs joined a $3 million grant program to boost rural entrepreneurship, promote non-agricultural livelihoods and help overcome the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. The current program will be completed in 2022, Nanobashvili added.
Also, the UNDP managed to introduce “Smart village” concept in Georgia’s rural areas to create new jobs, promote social and digital innovation, and open new income generation opportunities for the economically and socially vulnerable groups.
In addition, up to 150 young people attended business camps in 2019-2021 designed to help aspiring new entrepreneurs create and expand rural businesses, and more than 150 rural entrepreneurs benefited from business coaching that helped them design their businesses models, Nanobashvili said.
“We will continue working with our local and international partners in 2022, assisting Georgia to achieve its national Sustainable Development Goals,” the UNDP Economic Development Team Leader in Georgia concluded.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @mariiiakhm