Presentation of the Minister of Ajara Ministry of Agriculture at the Presidium of Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences
On December 28, 2018, Tite Aroshidze, the Minister of Ajara Ministry of Agriculture made a presentation on major directions and future prospects of development of agriculture in Ajara Autonomous Republic at the Presidium of Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The presenter mentioned that Agriculture and its future sustainable development is one of the priorities of Ajara Autonomous Republic, and it is a main source of income for rural population.
Also, its function is to support food safety and social and economic security of rural population. This largely depends on increase of competitiveness of the local production of agricultural products, implementation of advanced agro-technologies, and raise of soil productivity alongside with professional training and raising qualification of those employed in agrarian sector.
Minister mentioned that most important sectors in Ajara Agriculture are: citruses, horticulture, viticulture, vegetable growing, animal husbandry, bee keeping, fishing, and other. Besides limitation in agricultural lands, level of implementation of agro-technique is very low. Therefore, it is important to plan and carry out different necessary measures to promote food safety and increase productivity in Ajara Region; also it is necessary to attract investments which will increase the farmers’ income. The priorities outlined by Ajara Ministry of Agriculture for 2019-2022 are oriented on further sustainable development, which are based on proposals of local non-governmental organizations to meet the needs of population. They are in full correspondence with the strategies of “Ajara Agriculture Development “ and “ Ajara Rural Development” projects.
During the meeting, an initiative of GAAS to involve Ajara region in restoration and development process of sericulture, a traditional branch for this region, was discussed. The first attempts were carried out in 2018, in experimental station of Agro-Service Center of the Ministry of Agriculture in which several stages – feeding of silkworm with the help of modern technologies, and thread reeling took place. This could be considered as the first steps made in the strategic plan of revival and implementation of sericulture in Ajara.
The presentation of the Minister of Ajara Agriculture was highly appreciated by the meeting participants. Deputy President, Academician Givi Japaridze, Academicians N. Chitanava, T. Kunchulia, Z. Chakseliani, O. Keshelashvili, E. Shapakidze, Z. Putkaradze and G. Nikoleishvili participated in the discussion held at the end of the meeting.
The President of the Academy G. Aleksidze, in his closing speech spoke about the importance of close cooperation between GAAS and Ajara Ministry of Agriculture which was first stipulated by Memorandum of Partnership between the parties in 2018. The further fruitful and diverse relationships between the parties involve many other interesting projects and will be a good example for other regions in the country.