HEGO Companies database

Georgian Farmers’ Association (GFA) was founded in 2012. Currently, the organization unites over 4,000 farmers in Georgia. GFA establishes its value to members by giving guidance on governmental programs; links to service providers and sources of funding, markets and technical support; consultation on policy issues and representation of members’ interests; defence of smallholder farmers’ rights; participation in policy making; and advocacy of fair access to markets and resources. GFA’s call center provides farmers and stakeholders with useful information and helps to analyse current issues in agriculture. 

GFA actively cooperates with governmental, donor and educational institutions and is a strong coordinator between farmers and all actors involved in agriculture. GFA has a clear ambition to bring Georgia forward and is aware of the fact that farmers need to make a shift from being a peasant to entrepreneur. 

GFA’s main services are: Advocacy, Capacity Building, and Networking. 

In terms of lobbying farmers’ interests and other advocacy activities in December, 2016 the Board of Directors of GFA made a decision to form a Farmers’ Council composed of farmers, with enough power to take part in the process of making policies, dealing with the issues of development of agriculture and improvement of the state of Georgian farmers. 

GFA ensures the connection between its members and distribution company (Georgian Farmers’ Distribution Company – GFDC), which itself collaborates with Adjara group and other hotels/restaurants and supplies farmers’ products to them. Georgian Farmers’ Distribution Company’s aim is to strengthen local farming organizations and to replace import with the local products. In 2017, GFA created an application called “Agronavti”, where a farmer can place the product produced for sale/marketing. “Agronavti” can be downloaded via iOS and Android. In addition to providing matchmaking services, the mobile application offers the following information: weekly prices established for agro products and their statistical changes, researches and innovations in agriculture, more than 60 cycles of agricultural products, weather forecast, agro-calendar, etc.  In addition, since 2018, the product home delivery platform Soplidan.ge has joined the sophisticated, simple and continuous chain of delivery of products and merged with GFDC. 

 The Georgian Farmers’ Association has developed a local standard GeoGAP, which will ensure supply of clients with quality products. A certified farmer satisfying the quality standards will be given an opportunity to market his/her product directly to a client. For now, the marketing is regulated by GFDC, which has all necessary resources for quality control including a mobile laboratory. 

Association “Forest Product” elaborates different activities such as:

• Creating a support organization tailored to the interests of business organizations and local people in the field of forest products production.
• Establishing a regulated and sustainable business environment.
• Actively promoting the sale of forest products in export and local markets.
• Raising the awareness of main actors involved in the forest products sector.
• Encouraging the production of value-added products.
• Obtaining, processing and sharing relevant information about world-proven manufacturing and marketing practices with association members.
• Assisting its members in the introduction of modern production standards and technologies.
• Introducing and popularizing the practice of cultivating commercially profitable, wild-growing forest products.
• Connecting raw material suppliers, processing and distribution companies and fostering their future relationships.
• Actively promoting PPP (Public-Private Partnership) and PPCP (Public-Private-Community Partnership).
• Increasing access to information and education about sustainable management of forest resources
• Developing and introducing exclusive educational modules and closely collaborating with responsible agencies to expand existing education programs and information materials (extension centers, professional development programs, training courses).
• Creating a quality mark.
• Collaborating with certification bodies to create international brand (s) with social and environmental priorities.
• Supporting state organizations to fulfill international agreements, the Sustainable Development Agenda and other international commitments, increasing the effectiveness of existing environmental and socio-economic programs.
• Collaborating with the LEPL National Food Agency to promote laboratory research and practical application of food safety standards.
• Communicating with forest management bodies (National Forest Agency, Agency of Protected Areas, Adjara Forest Agency, local self-governments) for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation with the business sector – for the conservation and realization of high economic and environmental values of Georgia.
• Communicating with Development Agencies (Rural Development Agency, Run in Georgia, Start-up Georgia, Georgian Innovation and Technology Agency), support for new and potentially interesting areas of green business and diversification of rural economy plans and priorities reflected in Georgia’s 2021-2027 rural development strategy. In terms of.
• Supporting the local population to create additional sources of income for households and increase legal employment opportunities.
• Collaborating with the youth to promote green entrepreneurship and responsible business in the next generation.
• Collaborating with vulnerable groups.
• Finding and promoting small entrepreneurs.
• Finding and sharing industry-relevant, industry-relevant grant projects with member companies.

1. Collection, production and sales of non-timber forest products (wild fruits, berries and herbs).

2. Promotion of organic local production to target audiences. 

3. Participation in business forums, exhibitions, trade shows and etc.

Collection, production and sales of domestic and wild fruits and berries on local and international markets

• Collection and Processing of Certified and Conventional Non-Timber Forest Products (Wild Fruits and Berries, Medicinal Herbs) 
• Drying of NTFPs, Fruits and Production of Fruit Leather 
• Sales of Non-Timber Forest Products (Raw and Processed) 
• Collective Marketing of NTFPs and Derived Products 

Collection, processing and sales of herb products in accordance with the European GMP certificate (Good Manufacturing Practices). 

The production of alcoholic beverages with herb products, wild berries and fruits collected from forests.