minister of Agriculture and Food Security, MK Avi Dichter: “I congratulate the fruitful collaboration with Georgia, a true friend of Israel among the nations of the world. This reciprocal visit by the Minister is in continuation with my visit to Georgia, where, together with Ministry officials, I kickstarted the process. Today, we are taking another step in promoting the warm relations between the countries and are bringing extensive Israeli knowledge in research and development to a country in which almost 40% of its population are engaged in agriculture. We are dramatically expanding the partnership between the two countries; and we expect to see this process blossom, literally and figuratively.”
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, MK Avi Dichter met with the Georgian Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. David Songulashvili, during his visit to Israel. The ministers discussed the expansion of the collaborations in the field of agriculture between the countries and signed a joint declaration of intentions to promote agricultural collaborations in various fields, including food security, agricultural trade, irrigation and water systems, research and development and innovation. This meeting was held in continuation with the visit of the minister, MK Avi Dichter, this past September, when he met with Minister Songulashsvili and met with other officials to strengthen collaboration with Israeli agricultural companies operating in Georgia.
The joint declaration states that israel and Georgia shall take steps to expand collaboration in diverse fields of agriculture, including food security and agricultural trade between the countries, development of irrigation methods and resource – saving water systems and sharing research and development capabilities. Additionally, the declaration refers to collaboration in the field of veterinary services and animal welfare, with an emphasis on meeting international standards that will enable safe agricultural trade between the two countries.
The signed document also deals with the development of the next generation of agriculture through innovation and technology. The parties agreed to jointly promote precise agriculture, use of digital tools to manage farms and smart farm systems, remote sensory systems, and sharing of technological knowledge. Moreover, in the business and academic fields, an emphasis shall be placed on connections between agricultural companies and startups from both countries and expanding collaboration between research and academic institutions through joint experiments and research exchanges.
In order to implement these agreements, the parties agreed to establish a joint work force to create concrete projects and to follow-up the actual progress of the collaborations.
Georgia is a country located in the Caucasus region of Western Asis, and it borders Russia from the north, Azerbaijan from the east and Armenia and Turkey from the south. In addition, Georgia borders the Caspian and Black Seas and is geographically close to Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Consequently, Georgia is located in a strategic trade location, and strengthening ties with Georgia can lead to strengthening Israel’s trade relations in general and thereby strengthening Israel’s food security.
Agriculture constitutes a significant aspect of employment in Georgia, where 39.9% of its residents are engaged in agriculture, as of 2023. The value of the export of agricultural products to other countries from Georgia totals $1.68 billion, where its leading export products are wine, mineral water and walnuts.
Related Topics
