The FINANCIAL — On 12 October, the Keda and Khulo municipalities of Georgia hosted a presentation of their Local Development Strategies. The strategies have been recently developed by Local Action Groups (LAGs) supported by the EU through its European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD).
The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Carl Hartzell, emphasised at the presentation event that support to the rural development sector in Georgia is one of the priorities for the EU actions in the country. Ambassador Hartzell also addressed the importance of the partnership amongst LAGs as a vital component for ensuring sustainable rural development that includes local actors as implementers.
The EU supports rural development in Georgia through its ENPARD programme. Aiming to reduce rural poverty, ENPARD has been implemented since 2013, with a total budget of €179.5 million. The first phase of ENPARD focused on developing national agriculture potential, while the second and third phases focus on creating economic opportunities for the rural population that go beyond agricultural activities.
