The Report of the President of Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences
about the results of five-year work carried out by the Academy

      Presentation of Academician Guram Aleksidze at the meeting held at the Academy

 February 28, 2018

On February 28, 2018, at Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences a Meeting was held. The floor was given to a key speaker, Academician Guram Aleksidze, the President of the Academy, who made a Presentation on the results of five-year work carried out by the Academy in 2013-2017.

The Presenter G. Aleksidze, in the first part of his speech, spoke about the working programs which were executed by the Academy during his election period and which was first announced in his election program. He dealt with the structure of the Academy and the programs the Academy which have been executed for 5 years. Particular attention was paid to International contacts set during the same period on institutional level as well as by the individual members of the Academy. Partnership memorandums have been signed with local and international organizations; also, a number of international and local scientific conferences, round tables and seminars organized by the Academy played a significant role in further development and popularization of the Academy and its activities.

 The presenter focused on important directions in the work of the Academy, such as, National Coordinators’ Institute, Training Courses for the Farmers and Specialists working in the field of Agriculture, and a Scientific Center of Agro-bio-diversity. The presenter gave a high evaluation to the efforts carried out by abovementioned entities.

Academician G. Aleksidze presented to the members of the meeting a rich statistical material dealing with the scientific publications of the Academicians for the last five years, which includes: scientific works, monographs, text-books, articles, practical recommendations, inventions and patents.

The presentation received high appreciation from the audience, many of whom were pleased to express their opinion round the problems the presenter dealt with, as well as towards the presenter, the academician Guram Aleksidze. The Academicians: N. Karkashadze, O. Keshelashvili, Z. Tskitishvili, E. Shapatava, G. Papunidze, R. Chagelishvili, R. Makharoblidze, I. Vasadze, J. Katsitadze and R, Kopaliani evaluated the last five year in the life of the Academy as very successful and full of remarkable achievements at a local and international levels, which found brilliant reflection in the account made by the president.

At the same Meeting, an account on the work carried out by the Scientific Departments of the Academy was delivered and evaluated by its participants. Academician-Secretaries G. Margvelashvili, J. Gugushvili, R. Makharoblidze, N. Baghaturia, Z. Tskitishvili,  and R, Chagelishvili imparted essential aspects of the work carried out by their departments. The Meeting participants gave high evaluation to the fruitful scientific activities of the Departments. 

The Draft of the Bill regarding the rules of election of the president of the Academy in 2018 could be seen in the attachment. 

Based on the Memorandum which was signed between the Academy of Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture of Ajara, signed in 2013, the partnership between the two entities has been developing successfully. With the initiative of the Academy,  In 2018, in the Center of Agro Service, Ajara, a sample exhibition of silk worm and cocoon production in quantity of one box is planned.   To achieve this goal, the Center of Agro Service signed an agreement with the Mechanical Plant of Ozurgeti, in which the small scale technical devices and machines, such as leaf –cutting and simple type feeding equipment with 60 m² will be made. The project also covers the plan for spinning of silk thread on the loom which is a present of Jimsher Chkhaidze, who donated two looms to Georgia in 2017. With his permission, this loom will be used in Ajara to produce silk.

   In 2018, on February 6, the Academician Elguja Shapakidze, experienced specialists Dr. Nargiza Baramidze and scientific worker Zoia Tskaruashvili visited the renowned silk producer, Mrs. lamara Bejuashvili in Sighnaghi region to purchase hybrid cocoon for silk worm feeding.    

  The guests visited to take a close study of the production process, also studied the premises and workshop for silk manufacturing and keeping cocoon. Mrs. Bejuashvili said she that she has continued the century-old Georgian traditions of managing cocoon and manufacturing silk, and is sharing her experience not only  with a few Georgians who wish to be involved in sericulture, but with foreign guests as well who visit her mini-workshop quite frequently and take a deep interest in the process of sericulture manufacturing.

  Mrs. Lamara Bejuashvili donated 30gr hybrid cocoon, which will be used for testing of silk worm feeding in Ajara, at Gvara Experimental base. She will also monitor the process also in Ajara, because the feeding base will be introduced from East Georgia – to the West, which will be an interesting process and raises interest among the specialists.  

 On February 1, 2018, at The Academy of Agricultural Sciences a Meeting of the Academic Board was held. The Agenda was a follows:

“Information about the implementation of the programs by Ajara Ministry of Agriculture.” Presenter  - Avtandil Meskhidze, Minister of Ajara Ministry of Agriculture.

In his presentation, the Minister talked about the major issues and problems which started in 2017 and is continued in the following year, as well as dealt with the new programs planned for 2018. Those are: “Sustainable Development of AgroSector” ( Budget 150 000 Gel) and sub-programs, which will study wind shield zones, soil erosion, local population development and financial sustainability. The programs of Agro project Center ( Budget 7 211 638), which include development of greenhouses, diary production and selling,  supplying  farmers with technical means, soil fertility, support of tea growing industry, and other. 

  Out of the programs carried out in 2018, particular attention was paid to a sub-program -               “Demonstration of new agrarian technologies and projects” which deals with the first steps made in development of sericulture in Ajara region. The idea and initiative of the program belongs to Georgian Academy of Agriculture and its members have actively participated in it. The program aims to create a shop for production of sericulture in which technological processes will take place with the help of the technical means of small scale mechanization.

In the discussion round this project the members of the Academy took active part and expressed their positive appreciations towards the presented project and wished the project further success.

 The presentation of the Minister of Ajara and the discussion held round the problem was summarized by the President Guram Aleksidze.  He also underscored that Avtandil Meskhidze  actively cooperates with the Academy and is an initiator of the projects which aims to restore the sericulture in Ajara region. He also supported the project of organizing scientific conference of  international  organization of sericulture BASCA which will be an important event in the cultural and scientific life of the region, as well as of the country.

  The meeting participants concluded that it would be very appropriate and helpful if the members of the Academy, who supervise different directions in agriculture, participated in the projects and programs being implemented in Ajara.

 The Memorandum which was signed between the Academy of Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture of Ajara, signed in 2013, indicates that the partnership between the two entities has been developing successfully and should become more intensive and fruitful.   

 A Meeting of Academic Board of Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences

   On January 26, 2018, at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, a Meeting of Academic Board was held. Among other problems, the Meeting discussed a list of the candidates who applied to the Board to participate in the contest for the best scientific research conducted in the field of agriculture. The information was made by the Vice President, Academician  G. Japaridze and the Head of Academic Department E. Shapakidze.   

       The presenters announced that the information about the contest was published on the web-page of the Academy on December 4, 2017, and the deadline for submission of the documents was January 18, 2018.

      The following scientific works are presented In the Academic Department according to the specializations:

1  -    Field   0101 Agronomy. Monography on “ Climate change and food safety” ( Tbilisi 2016). Author Tamaz Turmanidze.

2  -   Field    0103 Cattle Breeding         

 -  Specialization  010302.  - Cattle and poultry raising. 

Monography  “Georgian mountainous husbandry”.   ( Tbilisi 2017) . Authors: V. Gligvashvilis, G. Gligvashvili, I. Kutsnashvili.

-  Specialization  010305   - Meet production. Monography: Modern technologies of quail  egg and meet. Tbilisi, 2017 . Author: Anatoly Giorgadze. 

 3   -   Field 0415 Agro-engineering.  A text –book “Electronic mini-cars”.  Tbilisi 2017. Authors:  A. Didebulidze. M. Konjaria, and  E. Midelashvili;

 4   -   Field  0104  - Food technology.

-  Specialization  010401 – Technology of food-processing and conservation.

Monography:  “ Techno-chemical control of food processing”. Tbilisi 2017. Author: G. Grigolashvili.

  5 -    Field 0105 – Forestry. Text-book “Plant Protection”. Tbilisi 2017. Authors: M. Lobjhanidze, M. Beruashvili, G. Gagoshidze. 

  6  -   Field 0203  - Management

Specialization 020305   - Management of Agribusiness.

Monography: “Georgian tea—growing: the nearest past”, Tbilisi, 2017. Authors: T. Kunchulia, Sh. Kikalishvili, Z. Bukia.

         After discussion of the presented scientific work, The Academy come to the following decision: the above listed scientific works will be send to the following scientific departments of the academy for evaluation:  

• “ Climate change and food safety” ( Tbilisi 2016). Author Tamaz Turmanidze. Scientific Department of Agronomy.
• Monography: Modern technologies of quail egg and meet.  Author: Anatoly Giorgadze.  Scientific Department of Husbandry, Veterinary, Food-processing and Agro-engineering.
• Monography  “Georgian mountainous husbandry”.   Authors: V. Gligvashvilis, G. Gli­gvashvili, I. Kutsnashvili.  Scientific Department of Husbandry, Veterinary, Food-processing and Agro-engineering.
• Text –book  “Electronic mini-cars”.   Authors:  A. Didebulidze. M. Konjaria, and  E. Mi­­delashvili;   Scientific Department of Agro-engineering.
• Monography:  “ Techno-chemical control of food processing”. Author: G. Grigolashvili. Scientific Department of keeping, processing and agronomy of agricultural products.
• Monography  “ Milk production modern technologies and effective management of diary farm in Georgia”. Authors Z. Tskitishvili, K. Poberejna, the Association of Food producers - Scientific Department of food safety.
• Text-book “Plant Protection”. Authors: M. Lobjhanidze, M. Beruashvili, G. Gagoshidze. 

Scientific Department of Forestry

• Monography: “Georgian tea—growing: the nearest past”, Authors: T. Kunchulia, Sh. Kikalishvili, Z. Bukia.  Scientific Department of Economy.