Economic Development for IDPs in Georgia

Monday, February 20, 2012

Having worked with internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the very first days following the 2008 war, World Vision Georgia (WVG) understands that a lack of economic and livelihood opportunity poses a severe limitation to IDPs' security and wellbeing. In 2011 Economic Development for IDPs in Georgia project, it is funded by the European Union and World Vision Germany. To support conditions for IDPs to generate sustainable income, WVG and its partner organization, Biological Farming Association Elkana, provided trainings on up-to-date agricultural methodologies and business practices
(including marketing, value chains, and budget management) as well as agricultural start-up assistance in ten IDP settlements in the Kaspi, Gori, and Kareli municipalities of Shida Kartli. Over 700 adults and youth over 14 years old in 2011 alone have benefited from these trainings, which promoted modern technologies and approaches. The project also supported demonstration plots using these modern technologies and approaches. These "demo" plots yielded large harvests and further added to IDPs' incentive to disseminate the information obtained. A total of 23 demonstration plots, including production plots (farming, animal husbandry, and beekeeping), food processing plots, greenhouses, and a nursery, will be developed throughout the two-year project.