Empowering Women Farmers in Georgia - GCP/GEO/018/SWI
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Georgia’s dairy sector, especially its small-scale, home-based production, faces deep structural and regulatory challenges that limit its growth. Most small producers, primarily women, rely on outdated methods and lack adequate hygiene and food safety practices. Recent regulatory alignment with European Union standards has intensified compliance requirements, which smallholders often struggle to meet. In regions like Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Abkhazia, dairy production is further hindered by limited access to modern tools, veterinary care, and markets, as well as poor pasture management and fragmented land ownership. Women are heavily involved in household-level dairy production but are largely excluded from formal value chains and decision-making processes. Gender disparities in land rights, training, and technical support limit their productivity and income potential. In Abkhazia, these barriers are worsened by conflict-related isolation and the lack of extension services. As a result, local production remains underutilized, and imports continue to meet much of the domestic demand. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and intensified these vulnerabilities. Lockdowns and market closures disrupted supply chains, increased input and transport costs, and restricted sales, hitting rural women producers especially hard. With limited access to finance, technology, and formal markets, women in the informal dairy sector were left highly exposed and unable to adapt quickly to the shifting economic landscape. To address these challenges, this project (GCP/GEO/018/SWI) funded by the SDC and implemented by the FAO and UN Women, was launched in 2020. It aimed to strengthen the dairy sector by focusing on women’s economic empowerment and technical capacity. It used the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach to provide practical training in food safety, improved dairy practices, business skills, and climate-resilient agriculture. A dedicated COVID-19 response component supported women in adapting to crisis conditions and building long-term resilience, aligning with national strategies for rural development and gender equality.