New 'GeoGAP' certification system: clear market signal for quality production

On February 19, at Rooms Hotel, Tbilisi, USAID Mission Director, Peter Wiebler, and Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili, joined the Head of the Georgian Farmers’ Association, Nino Zambakhidze, in hosting a wide audience of interested stakeholders who gathered to support the recognition and institutional development of the “Georgia Good Agricultural Practices’’ (GeoGAP) Certification System introduced by the Georgian Farmers’ Association (GFA), with technical support from USAID/Zrda Activity.

“I’m very proud to be the supporter of this GeoGAP initiative today. It represents a great chance for Georgia to improve its agricultural products, to prove their competitiveness, both on the Georgian market but also accordingly to increase competitiveness and access and integration with the European market,” USAID Mission Director, Peter Wiebler told The Messenger.

Since 2016, GFA and USAID Zrda have been working together to improve the quality and competitiveness of regional agricultural products on both domestic and international markets. As Georgia moves forward towards increased Euro-Atlantic integration, opportunities for farmers and SMEs working in the agricultural sector will grow, though only if such producers can improve product quality to meet ever more stringent standards, such as those mandated by the DCFTA.

The day marked the conclusion of yet another Georgian Farmers’ Association and USAID/Zrda Activity led initiative aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of primary producers and SMEs in the agricultural sector.

“GeoGAP” has been created to help aspiring farmers improve quality and move towards harmonization with European norms, while immediately serving as domestic market signal for private sector buyers throughout Georgia, especially in the hospitality sector, that production is meeting a minimum level of quality and food safety,” – Nino Zambakhidze, Head of the GFA told the paper.

With this in mind, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia and Georgian Farmers’ Association signed the Memorandum of Understanding that recognizes and supports the institutional development of this new 'GeoGap’ Certification System.

“GeoGAP Certification System is a Georgian analog of a very good international practice, which will hopefully quickly become popular among the local farmers, that will enable Georgian products to be high quality and competitive on the international market as well,” said the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili.

Earlier last year, GFA through technical support from USAID/Zrda developed new mobile application Argonavti for over 2,000 GFA members to get access to new markets and facilitate the growth of agricultural production and sales in Georgia. “GeoGAP” tracking will be integrated within the application so that certified farmers will be recognized by buyers that use the application to source genuine, safe, and high-quality Georgian produce from across the country.