Helping Conflict-Affected Communities Rebuild Local Economies

As a result of the summer 2008 hostilities, more than 100,000 Georgians were temporarily displaced from their homes. Alhough many have returned to their homes, their livelihoods are not easily restored. The USAID-funded Georgia Agricultural Risk Reduction Program (GARRP) seeks to address the needs of more than 29,000 farm families from the Shida Kartli region in their recovery from the economic impact of the conflict. The project addresses crucial food security and income generation issues in the affected communities of Kaspi, Kareli and Gori districts.

Through GARRP, we provide livelihood assistance to local farmers, as well as resettled internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have been issued agricultural land, to ensure successful spring crop planting and orchard assistance. CNFA coordinates with local government to verify beneficiary lists for each community, with priority given to IDPs and then subsistence-level smallholders whose food security and livelihoods are most at risk. Beneficiary lists are posted publicly for community review and monitoring teams continually spot-check the lists for accuracy.

GARRP operates a three-track voucher system:

• Voucher System for Corn Producers: Vouchers for seed, fertilizer and machinery are distributed to IDP families to produce a crop expected to garner $9.3 million at harvest. The project is also mobilizing local machinery service providers and organizing the provision of plowing, cultivation, planting and fertilizer application services for approximately 9,200 hectares.
• Voucher System for Orchard Inputs: Farm families receive electronic voucher cards for orchard inputs to be used in at least eight retail locations in the area and choose the products they need, when they need them. At harvest, these crops are expected to be worth at least $17.25 million.
• Voucher System for Winter Wheat: This third prong targets families who were either late receiving land or whose land has been recently decontaminated from unexploded ordinances. Crops benefiting from this activity are expected to be worth nearly $2.5 million when harvested.

As a result of the indicated relief efforts, more than 29,000 farm families, including IDPs, will benefit and crop yields will be improved on approximately 24,000 hectares of land in conflict-affected areas. The total value of harvested crops from assisted areas is expected to be more than $29 million and at least $10.5 million will be injected into local agribusiness through partnerships with private sector suppliers and service providers.

 

Related Links

Rapid Response Protects Livelihoods in Georgia

Georgian Couple Benefits from Voucher Program

Program Overview: Georgia Agricultural Risk Reduction Program

 

Update 6/2009