A memorandum has been signed between the Rural Development Agency and the foundation “Swisscontact - Georgia.” The Swisscontact Foundation is cooperating with the Rural Development Agency within the framework of the “SME Development Project in Regions.” The project is implemented by a consortium of Swisscontact, Mercy Corps, and The Springfield Center with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

The memorandum was signed by the Director of the Rural Development Agency, Giorgi Darchia, and the Director of the Swisscontact Georgia representation, Richard Rose.

The memorandum aims to offer additional support to existing and potential beneficiaries of the agency’s programs and projects, including promoting the involvement of representatives of ethnic minorities and women. The memorandum also envisages the improvement of the agency's internal (program) systems and the creation of opportunities for the introduction of new mechanisms.

This cooperation includes the structuring of the existing farmer database in the agency and will also cover the following state programs: “Promotion of Entrepreneurial Activities in Mountainous Regions,” Agroinsurance, and “Plant the Future.”

It is noteworthy that the first cooperation memorandum between the Rural Development Agency and the Swisscontact Foundation was signed in December 2022. Within the framework of this cooperation, many activities were carried out to increase women's participation in the “Plant the Future” program, including meetings, seminars, and workshops. Consultations were provided to up to 500 women interested in agriculture, and more than 200 of them participated in study tours. In 2023, the project reimbursed the cost of soil laboratory analysis for 40 women beneficiaries of the “Plant the Future” program.

Within the framework of the cooperation, more than 200 employees of the agency's regional offices received training on communication skills. In 2024, in cooperation with the “SME Development Project in Regions” and the UN Women organization, gender indicators were developed for the Rural Development Agency by American expert Nandini Gunewardena.