The financing of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, compared to the approved budget for the current year, increases by 95 million GEL

Otar Shamugia, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia shared exciting news about the ministry's budget increase during a media briefing after a government session.

"I am pleased to highlight that the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia has secured a remarkable budget increase of 95 million GEL compared to the approved budget of the current year. This growth extends across all our programs, including 'Preferential Agro-Credit,' 'Introduce the Future,' co-financing initiatives for storage and processing enterprises, and the vital promotion of agro-food production. These endeavors play a crucial role in supporting our farmers and entrepreneurs, and we have experienced a significant surge in demand for these projects and financing mechanisms."

Shamugia emphasized the continuation of the co-financing program for agricultural machinery, which has set aside 10 million GEL for this purpose. The government is actively considering additional financing mechanisms, particularly to aid small-scale farmers who can benefit from collaborative equipment purchases with state co-financing.

Highlighting an exciting new development, the minister introduced the LEADER program, a joint effort developed in collaboration with the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This initiative aims to foster rural development, involving both the public and private sectors, as well as non-governmental organizations. Under this European-inspired model, specific projects will be financed based on joint proposals from these entities. The program has already been allocated 1 million GEL, and further decisions will be made based on its progress.

Turning attention to environmental protection, Shamugia expressed his commitment to increasing the budget for this area as well. Notably, there has been an 18% overall budget increase compared to the previous year, dedicated to environmental initiatives.

"Increasing funding for ecotourism and protected areas will contribute to the development of infrastructure and attract more visitors to our protected regions. Environmental supervision will also benefit from increased funding. In essence, every program under our ministry has witnessed a considerable financial boost compared to the previous year. Together with the Ministry of Finance, we are actively working on new and innovative initiatives to further enhance our efforts," Otar Shamugia stated with enthusiasm.

Overall, the significant budget increase in diverse sectors demonstrates the Georgian government's dedication to promoting sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, and rural development for the benefit of all its citizens.