EU project promoting forest-based beekeeping in Georgia

The WWF-Caucasus Programme Office (WWF-CauPO) has just completed a campaign to promote beekeeping in Machakhela Gorge, Adjara Autonomous Republic, south western Georgia. The activity was held from March to June as part of the EU-funded forestry project ENPI FLEG.

According to a press release from ENPI FLEG (the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) Programme), the activity aims to address the socio-economic needs of the local population, and to contribute to easing the pressure on local wood resources, especially fuelwood. The idea is that the successful promotion of the beekeeping business will significantly increase the income of local households, and that this will eventually reduce pressure on wood resources.

The pilot sites were located in the villages of Zeda Chkhutuneti, Kokoleti and Chikuneti in Mahcakhela Gorge, bordering with Turkey. In all, about 20 representatives of households were selected and subsequently trained in beekeeping. After the training, they received, free of charge, beehives with bee families (five beehives per household) as well as other equipment and medicines, necessary to start a beekeeping business. The condition for acquiring the equipment was that, after two years, each beneficiary would transfer one bee family to another household representative from Machakhela Gorge free of charge.

The EURO 6 million European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument (ENPI) Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) Programme supports governments, civil society and the private sector in the development of sound and sustainable forest management practices, including the prevention of illegal forestry activities.
(EU Neighbourhood Info)



Neighbourhood agriculture programme: key documents available from recent ENPARD launch

Speeches and presentations from the recent event organised by the European Commission launching the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture & Rural Development (ENPARD) are now available online. The two-day event was held in Brussels and brought together senior agriculture officials from European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries.

ENPARD is a new policy initiative, part of the EU's commitment to inclusive growth and stability in its Neighbourhood, which recognises the potential importance of agriculture in terms of food security, sustainable production and rural employment.

The objective of the conference was to present the Programme's vision and approach to high-level officials in charge of agriculture, rural development and international cooperation from all the European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries in the south and east. It also gave participants the opportunity to take part in in-depth discussions on how the Programme could best respond to the difficulties facing agriculture and rural areas in their countries.

Documents available include the opening speech by Dacian Ciolos, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, and press release issued by Stefan Fule, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, as well as presentations and speeches from participants from the neighbourhood countries.

Users can also download presentations by senior European Commission officials on the ENPARD programme itself, on EU support to agricultural and rural development in the Neighbourhood, and on lessons learned from similar pre-accession programmes.
(EU Neighbourhood Info)