The Parliament heard the report by Otar Shamugia, the Minister of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, focusing on the efforts taken to use the existing potential in the agricultural sector. The rapporteur also discussed current initiatives and future plans to encourage the manufacturing of Georgian goods that are in demand on the global market.

“Because the consistent application of environmental policy should promote sustainable and balanced development of the state, we take precautions to protect our environment, including water, land, and forest resources from strain and damage”, - said Otar Shamugia.

According to him, the allocations billed to the Ministry in the state budget are increasing year by year, both in the direction of agriculture and environmental protection.

“A 150% increase in allocations over the past five years has made it possible to undertake new projects and advance development”, - the Minister noted.

He focused on the development of the agro-insurance program, the agricultural cooperation program, the use of energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies, as well as the steps taken to improve the competitiveness of local agro-food products necessary for maximizing the use of the EU market potential. As the speaker noted, the program to promote bioproduction was introduced in 2022.

Otar Shamugia asserts that the state kept its pledge to ensure that the harvest would go in a planned manner and that all winegrowers would be able to harvest their crops without hindrance.

The Minister also discussed the initiatives and improvement plan to safeguard land resources and maintain soil fertility.

According to Otar Shamugia, the Ministry actively keeps working in the direction of mechanisms for conducting environmental impact assessments and strategic environmental assessments, as well as including the public in the process of making environmental decisions.

The establishment of efficient water resource management mechanisms and the Ministry’s process for evaluating fuel quality were both discussed in the Minister’s report. Other topics included the steps taken in the forestry industry, updates to the weather forecasting system, and anticipated natural processes.

Otar Shamugia asserts that the Ministry’s action plan and programs have only two objectives: the country"s ongoing development and integration into the European Union.

“That’s why we need a strong economy, which means producing more quality products, promoting sales, and of course we need sustainable development to protect our environment. We will actively continue working in this direction”, - the Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture stated.