On November 29, 2019, in the Conference Hall of the Hotel “Holiday Inn” a discussion on the topic: Action plan and strategy for development of Georgian Agriculture in 2021-2027 was held which was organized with active support of Georgian Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, international organizations UNDP, and FAO.

A summing up discussion was held on which Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences was represented by its two members: Academicians Nodar Chitanava and Zurab Tskitishvili who presented to the auditorium their attitude regarding the strategy of the Plan previously discussed at GAAS.

The Meeting participants were greeted by Giorgi Khanishvili, First Deputy of the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture.

On the picture from the left: Nodar CHitanava, Giorgi Khanishvili, and Ekaterine Zviadadze.

 Ekaterine Zviadadze, Head of the Department of Policy and Analysis, Ministry of Environment and Agriculture presented to the auditorium The Action plan and strategy for development of Georgian Agriculture in 2021-2027. The presentation was followed by discussion in which Academicians Nodar Chitanava and Zurab Tskitishvili actively participated and observed the opinion and comments worked out at the presidium of the Academy. In particular, the problem of soil resources and the measurements for protection were accentuated. To address the problem effectively, it is necessary to make a proper assessment of agricultural soils, study its structure and types, and work out soil security strategy.

It is important that all governmental and non-governmental organizations took part in discussion of the strategic plans regarding development strategy of agriculture of Georgia in the next decade. The final version of the project should be presented to the Government.

On November 29, 2019, a new team of National Branch Coordinators of Georgian Academy was officially confirmed at the Meeting of the Presidium of GAAS. ( Minutes #14,29,11,2019).

1.      1. Scientific Department of Agronomy

1.1.Viticulture and Winemaking

Academician Nodar Chkhartishvili

Doctor Levan Ujmajurudze

Academician Guram Papunidze

1.2.Horticulture

Academician Iuza Vasadze

Academician Vajha Kvaliashvili

1.3.Tea and Citruses

Academician Valerian Tsanava

Academician Ronald Kopaliani

1.4.Field Cultures:

Professor Tsotne Samadashvili

1.5.Vegetables:

Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Valeri Sukhishvili

Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Nato Kakabadze

1.6.Plant protection:

Academician Guram Aleksidze

Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Sandro Kanchaveli

1.7. Soil Management:

Doctor of Agricultural Sciences NIkoloz Kiknavelidze

Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Giorgi Bolghashvili

1.8. Ecology of Agriculture:

Academician Zaur Chakseliani

            Doctor of Science Maia Meladze

1.9.Agro-chemistry and Soil studies:

Academician Gogola Margvelashvili

Academician Rezo Jabnidze

1.10.                 Land  use:

Doctor of Economy Anzor Meskhishvili

2.    2.  Forest Studies Scientific Department

Direction- Forestry:

Academician Revaz Chagelishvili

Academician Givi Japaridze

Academician Giorgi Gagoshidze

3.      3. Cattle-breeding and Veterinary Scientific Department:

Cattle-breeding

Academician Jemal Gugushvili

3.2.   Food Production:

          Professor Ioseb Sarjveladze

3.3. Veterinary:

Academician Tengiz Kurashvili

3.4. Sericulture:

    Corresponding member Giorgi Nikolaishvili

    Academician Elguja Shapakidze

3.5. Bee-breading:

      Doctor of Agriculture Gogia Madzgharashvili

      Doctor of Agriculture Maia Peikrishvili

 4.      4. Agro-engineering Department:

4.1.Mechanization of Agriculture:

Academician Revaz Makharoblidze

4.2. Electrification and Automatization of  Agriculture:

Academician Archil Vashakidze

4.3. Hydro-Melioration of Agriculture:

Professor Eduard Kukhalashvili

5.      Food Safety and Food Technology Department:

5.1. Food Technologies:

Academician Nugzar Baghaturia

Academician Temur Revishvili

On November 8, 2019, at Georgian National Academy a ceremonial meeting was held dedicated to the World Science Day for Peace and Development. A delegation from Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences headed by Academician G. Aleksidze, President of the Academy took active participation in the event.

In 2001, UNESCO declared November the 10^th a Day for peace and development of science. It also highlights the need to engage wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues. The first Conference was held in Budapest, Hungary by International Union of Scientists. The annual celebrations hold in many countries aim to highlight the role and necessity of science for the society and in their everyday life.

Scientific Academies of Georgia join the celebration and hold meetings dedicated to World Science Day for Peace and Development.

The Meeting was opened by the President of the National Academy Giorgi Kvesitadze and congratulated the audience with the birthday of outstanding Georgian public figure, writer and poet, Ilia Chavchavadze. The next presenter was Academician Guram Aleksidze who underlined the importance and relevance of science in our daily life.

The researchers got blessing from high rank representative of Georgian Orthodox Church iorgi Zviadadze and greeted the audience from the name of Georgian Patriarch.

Archil Talakvadze, the Head of Georgian Parliament greeted the audience and underlined that:

“A nation will not able to create its future without science. It unites the past with the future, it can provide cooperation between the generations and connect a nation with international society. Georgian National Academy, a successor of Georgian medieval century academies of Gelati and Ikalto, preserves and transfers to future generations the knowledge, creation of which needs hundreds of years. This accumulated knowledge should be actively applied for the progress of the nation”.

Academician Nodar Chitanava dedicated his presentation to the problem of rational management of soil resources in Georgia.

The culmination of the Meeting was delivery of Diplomas to the holders of Academic Prizes. In the field of Agro chemistry the prize was given to Academician Gogola Margvelashvili, head of the Department of Agronomy, GAAS.

The President of Georgian Academy of Agriculture, Guram Aleksidze delivered a Certificate of Honor to the members of GAAS, Academician Nodar Chitanava and Member Correspondent Giorgi Nikolaishvili.

On October 23, 2019, at Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences a Meeting of the Commission on Agrarian Innovations was held. Levan Tortladze, Doctor of Agrarian Sciences, Professor of Agrarian University, made his presentation on the following topic: “Preservation and development of double productivity livestock in Eastern Europe.” He spoke about one of the achievements of the 29^th century in this field - breeding a new variety of cattle – “Caucasus Tsabla”, which is a good example of united effort of the scientists of Caucasus region working in this field.  

 According the data of 1990s, the number of of cattle – “Caucasus Tsabla”, reached 171 thousand; but in this century this breed is on the verge of extinction.

The problem has been raised by the presenter first time in 2002, at International Scientific Conference held in Erevan.

“We believe that it is possible to save this unique breed -Tsabla” , in case the effort of different scientists working in Caucasus will be united, declared the Conference participants. This process has already started with the project TCP/RER/3604, financed by FAO.

A Scientific – Research Center created in 2014 within the system of the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia, is actively involved in the study of the problem.

The information presented at the Meeting encouraged live discussions round the problem among the researchers and practitioners; also, the importance of ongoing activities, as well as the future plans directed towards positively solution of the problem was emphasized.