EU Commissioner For European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations will visit Georgia  to speak  at  “Georgia's European Way” Conference in Batumi  

In addition, he will hold a series of bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Davit Bakradze.

The annual Batumi International Conference is an important discussion hub on European affairs since 2007, and creates a venue for high officials from Georgia, its partner nations as well as EU countries to analyse current issues and exchange ideas in order to address current EU-related challenges.

After the conference, Commissioner Hahn will also visit a number of EU-funded agriculture projects in Adjara region, accompanied by EU Ambassador to Georgia Janos Herman and United Nations Resident Coordinator Niels Scott.

At 15:45 hr, Commissioner Hahn will visit the “Lurja 2015” agricultural cooperative producing berries in Ochkhamuri village in Kobuleti. The founder and several members of the cooperative are visually impaired. The Commissioner Johannes Hahn will hand over two laptop computers with speech recognition software programme specially designed for visually impaired persons. 

At 16:20 hr, Commissioner Johannes Hahn will visit the Kobuleti branch of the Adjara autonomous republic Agroservice Center. The guests will see the ENPARD demonstration high technological greenhouse, the grape and fruit nursery, and will also observe the scientists working in the nurseries and the ongoing training of farmers.

The visit to EU funded agricultural cooperatives and the meetings with small farmers will offer the Commissioner first-hand information about the successes of agriculture cooperatives, and the role of agriculture cooperation in boosting rural development in Georgia. Both projects are funded through the EU's ENPARD programme. Since 2013, ENPARD has supported Georgia’s agriculture and rural development with over GEL 250 million.

More information on ENPARD agricultural cooperative “Lurja 2015” and Adjara autonomous republic Agroservice Center is provided in Annex.

For information on ENPARD please visit www.enpard.ge or contact:

• Tamar Khuntsaria, Team Leader, ENPARD Communication Unit, Action Global Communications, mob: 595 98 99 16, tamar.k@actionprgroup.com
• Maia Chitaia, Director, Action Global Communications, mob: 599 49 00 12, maia.chitaia@actionprgroup.com
• Lasha Komakhidze, ENPARD Adjara, UNDP, mob: 595 15 84 84, lasha.komakhidze@undp.org

For more information on EU activities in Georgia please visit http://euingeorgia.ge or contact:

• Delegation of the European Union to Georgia: Communications Manager, Mikolaj Bekasiak, Mikolaj-Swietopelek.BEKASIAK@eeas.europa.eu.

Annex

•      13th Batumi International Conference on "Georgia's European Way 2016"

The annual Batumi International Conference is organised by the Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration since 2007.  The main topics of this year’s Batumi International Conference will include: Georgia – EU relations; A discussion about the European Neighbourhood Policy, its future, the lessons learned and key challenges; implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, including the DCFTA and visa liberalisation. The conference will also address the geopolitical situation in the region, along with modern security challenges and opportunities.

•      ENPARD / UNDP agricultural cooperative “Lurja 2015”

The cooperative “Lurja 2015” in the village of Ochkhsmuri (Kobuleti) grows blueberries and strawberries on 1.5 hectares of land. The production has substantially increased since the farmers received new seedlings and an up-to-date drip watering system with assistance from ENPARD. 

Expected productivity of this small berry plantations makes up to 10 tonnes per 1 hectare.

The head of the cooperative, Alexi Tsevelidze, visually impaired, is extremely motivated and skilled farmer and one of the best ENPARD grantees.   

•      Adjara Agroservice Centre (www.agrosc.ge)

The Adjara Agroservice Centre (ASC) is the largest provider of agriculture extension, i.e. information and consultation services for farmers in Adjara. 

The ASC was launched by the Adjara AR Government in 2011 to support the development of targeted branches of agriculture in the region. For the last three years, the Centre operates with assistance from the European Union and UNDP, which has allowed to increase the scope of its services, open new branches all over the region, and provide regular assistance (consultations, training, technical support) to tens of thousands of small farmers.