Pilot program being accomplished in Marneuli and Lagodekhi municipalities, provides the co-financing the arrangement of greenhouse farms for women. Through the mentioned program, farmer women shall have the opportunity to organize the greenhouse on a small land plot and produce agricultural products throughout a year. No more than 90% (maximum amount 25 000 GEL) sum required for arrangement of greenhouse with area of at least 200 square meters will be financed by the program.  Along with financial aid, technical assistance is also envisaged by the program. Registration in the program started on September 20.

Director of Rural Development Agency, Mr. Ilia Tamarashvili and Deputy Representative of UN Women’s Organization in Georgia, Mrs. Tamar Sabedashvili attended the informative meeting held in Lagodekhi municipality. 

“Together with UN Women’s Organization and by state budget co-financing we have developed the program for Marneuli and Lagodekhi municipalities. Within the frameworks of the program developed, the women owning the small land plots will be afforded the opportunity to arrange greenhouse farms and master in agro-technological skills, grow agricultural crops, sell them and become economically active” – Mr. Ilia Tamarashvili said.

“I would like to express the gratitude to our governmental partners, as well as to the Swiss and Austrian Development Agencies for support of the mentioned program. UN Women’s Organization hereby do hope that the mentioned initiative will bring tangible benefits to women farmers, as the program was developed based on the analysis of their experiences and challenges", Representative of UN Women’s Organization in Georgia, Mrs. Tamar Sabedashvili said. 

Pilot program is implemented within the frameworks of memorandum signed between UN Women’s Organization and Rural Development Agency. The goal of the memorandum is the increase of opportunities of women residing in rural areas, their involvement in the programs of the Agency, development of special initiatives and thus socio-economic empowerment of women. 

Cooperation between the UN Women’s Organization and Rural Development Agency is the part of the regional project of  UN Women’s Organization “"Economic Empowerment of Women in the South Caucasus", funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Austrian Development Cooperation.