FAO Celebrates World Food Day in Georgia

 An event was organized by the Representation of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Georgia and the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia. This year WFD was dedicated to the importance of food security and rural development in addressing the root causes of migration. The slogan for World Food Day 2017 was: Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development.

The event was opened with the welcome addresses by Mr. Levan Davitashvili, the Minister of Agriculture of Georgia, Mr. Mamuka Meskhi, Assistant FAO Representative in Georgia, Mr. Niels Scott, UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Arad Benkö, the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria and Mr. Grigol Giorgadze, the First Deputy Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia.

The speakers highlighted the importance of rural development and food security to challenge young generation to stay in their home villages and rural areas and become successful farmers.

Mamuka Meskhi said, “FAO is working with governments, UN agencies, the private sector, civil society and local communities, to generate data on migration patterns and is building countries’ capacities to address migration through rural development policies. We support governments and partners as they explore the developmental potential of migration, especially in terms of food security and poverty reduction.”

Racha, a region of Georgia deeply affected by migration of its population to the large cities, was the centerpiece of the event. FAO, with the financial support of the Austrian Development Cooperation, implemented a rural development project in Racha that provided 60 farmers with agricultural equipment for the future enlargement and development of their farms. As the project is ending, FAO reviewed and summarized its outcomes and presented a short movie about the young farmers in Racha who are willing to stay in their home villages and take care of their agricultural businesses. After a screening of the video, the characters of the movie -- especially brought from Racha to Tbilisi to attend the World Food Day -- treated the event’s guests with samples of their agricultural products.

Another highlight of the event was a presentation of a project providing livelihoods support and socio-economic empowerment to IDPs. To date, the European Union -- through the EU/FAO cooperation alone -- has invested more than 5 000 000 Euros in IDP livelihoods. More than 4 000 IDP households have been given assistance to initiate and expand their agricultural productions, establish irrigation systems, buy livestock and machinery, start orchards and even build farms and fishponds. As the project is in its final phase, a photo exhibition at the WFD event displayed portraits of the IDP beneficiaries.

Niels Scott, the UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia, stressed the importance of the rural development projects in Georgia and underlined that eliminating the poverty is one of the most important of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

Representatives of the Government of Georgia, the diplomatic corps, international and donor organizations, NGOs and private sector attended the event, which was broadly covered by national TV and online media.