Rome, 9 November 2015 – This week on an official visit to Georgia, the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Kanayo F. Nwanze, will meet with Irakli Garibashvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia, and Otar Danelia, Minister for Agriculture, to discuss the UN agency's continued commitment to promoting agriculture development and poverty reduction in the country.

A key point for discussion is how to revitalise the agriculture sector to reduce  poverty  and improve the lives of smallholder farmers through innovative approaches such as developing climate smart agricultural systems; improving access for farmers and agri-business to markets; modernizing the value chain approach and creating opportunities for young people.

To reverse the tide of Georgian youth migrating to cities in search of jobs, IFAD is committed to join forces with the government of Georgia to revitalize the agricultural sector, home to 43 per cent of the rural population.

"Georgia has had strong economic growth during the last 10 years," said Nwanze, "but to ensure rural transformation and significantly reduce poverty, there is need for a renewed focus on agriculture."
During the visit, Nwanze will visit the IFAD-funded Agriculture Support Project and will have an opportunity to see first-hand an irrigation system rehabilitated by the project and meet with smallholder farmers who are benefiting from the regular flow of water.

Since 1997, IFAD has invested a total of US$118.9 million in five programmes and projects in Georgia. This has generated a total investment of $51.6 million, benefiting 82,850 households.

Press release No.: IFAD/76/2015

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided nearly US$17 billion in grants and low-interest loans to projects that have reached about 453 million people. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency based in Rome – the UN's food and agriculture hub.