Within the frames of the Rural Development Grant Program, Bioras Ltd. received 30,000 GEL in co-financing for the purchase of 60 solar panels and 24 solar cells. With the generated energy, walnut orchards cultivated on 12 hectares and small greenhouses are provided with irrigation water within the framework of the program Plant the Future.

To inspect the farming, Ilia Tamarashvili, Director of the Rural Development Agency, Shota Rekhviashvili, State Representative in Kvemo Kartli, Ketevan Khutsishvili, Manager of the Rural Development, Civic Security and Crisis Management Program of the EU Delegation to Georgia , and Anna Chernyshova, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Georgia, visited the village of Orbeti in Tetritskaro Municipality.;

An important priority of the Rural Development Agency is to support the development of non-farm activities in rural areas. We are implementing the Rural Development Grant Program with the support of the EU and the UNDP. One of its directions is to promote the introduction of energy efficient systems, which has enabled Bioras Ltd. to arrange a solar power system, an alternative energy source, to effectively manage their farm, - stated Ilia Tamarashvili, Director of the Rural Development Agency.

The EU-supported grant program aims to provide economic support to the rural population and the development of local businesses, which is especially important given the crisis caused by the pandemic. I am glad that our support contributes to the introduction of sustainable rural approaches and green solutions, - stated aid Ketevan Khutsishvili, Manager of the Rural Development, Civic Security and Crisis Management Program of the EU Delegation to Georgia.

Energy efficiency and green solutions are key issues in our grant assistance. By introducing new approaches to rural development, we have the opportunity to better restore a pandemic-affected economy for the benefit of both people and the planet, - said Anna Chernyshova, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative.

According to the State Representative in Kvemo Kartli Shota Rekhviashvili, the region is distinguished by wind and solar energy potential, it is important that the successful experience of Bioras Ltd. is shared by other local entrepreneurs.

The Rural Development Grant Program is implemented in Keda, Khulo, Borjomi, Akhalkalaki, Tetritskaro, Kazbegi, Lagodekhi and Dedoplistskaro municipalities. The program aims to support the development of rural non-farm entrepreneurial activities, address climate change challenges and use natural resources efficiently.

28 projects have been funded under the Rural Development Grant Program, the total cost of the investment exceeds 4,800,000 GEL, and the co-financing is more than 3 million GEL.

The Rural Development Grant Program is implemented by the Rural Development Agency (RDA) with the support of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) under the European Neighborhood Program for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD).