ASSOCIATION RURAL DEVELOPMENT FOR FUTURE Highlights of this Quarter

PG. 2 PG. 5

SmartVille Portal for Improving Local Business Adventure Rope Park in the town of – an Environment – the Tetritskaro LAG with the Attraction Distinguished with its Diversity and Support of the RDFG Launches a New Project Location Near the Capital City

PG. 3 PG. 6

The Last Phase of the Regional Youth RDFG Chairman was Elected as a Member of the Entrepreneurship Program – Another 4 Winner Central Asia Regional Advisory Group (RAG) and Projects were Announced GNDR National Focal Point for Georgia

PG. 4 PG. 6

The Importance of the Emergency Management RDFG DRR Center Continues Working on Emergency System – RDFG DRR Center Meets with the Plans with the Representatives of the and Representatives of the Parliament, the Municipalities 1 | P aGovernment, g e and the UNDP

Our New Project SmartVille

The Tetritskaro Local Action Group (LAG) launches a new project SmartVille that is based on the Association Rural Development for Future Georgia’s (RDFG) model of the smart village portal The SmartVille project aims to improve the local business environment including access to financial literacy learning engines and finding the source, tourism-related value chains through their inclusion in information management systems and regional networks across Georgia with further expansion to Eastern Partnership and EU countries. The project is funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the European Neighborhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development in Georgia – ENPARD III. The specific objective of the project is to promote sustainable rural development in the Tetritskaro municipality through a diversified rural economy, improved access to the market and introduction of ICT technologies and balanced, participative, and inclusive development strategy. The mentioned approach fits under the European Union funded project “Rural Development for Sustainable Growth of Tetritskaro Municipality” carried out through the second phase of the European Neighborhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD II) by the RDFG and will be complementary to the ongoing implementation of the Local Development Strategy (LDS) of the Tetritskaro Municipality 2018 – 2022 based on the core principles of the European Union’s LEADER methodology. Within the project, the SmartVille portal will be developed which will bring together information about agricultural markets linked to local agri portals and hospitality/booking sites. It will provide information on EU/national regulations on customs and standards of production, food safety management systems/standards, learning materials for SMEs and best practices on value chain, private-public partnerships, application of ICTs, etc. Continue reading on our website

2 | P a g e

4 Young Entrepreneurs Obtained Grant within the Framework of the Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Program supported by the USAID Zrda Activity

September 5, 2020 – within the closing ceremony of the phase III of the Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Program held in Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA), the Grant Selection Committee evaluated presented entrepreneurial business ideas and announced 4 winner projects: ➢ Gvantsa Zakariashvili from – UNIKI, Children’s Clothing Enterprise, GEL 9 525 ➢ Giuljakhan Ajalova from – Closing Atelier JULIA, Gel 7 000 ➢ Nika Shavdatuashvili from Gori – Wood and handmade leather handbags workshop NICKHAND, GEL 10 000 ➢ Mariam Kobalia from – Gypsophila Greenhouse, GEL 6 202

The 3 phases of the Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Program have been implemented by the Association Rural Development for Future Georgia (RDFG) under the scope of the USAID Zrda Activity in Georgia aiming at strengthening rural youth through entrepreneurship. The Program has been implemented in 9 Zrda target municipalities: Zugdidi, , , , , Marneuli, , Kaspi, and Gori. The program participants were required to present their business ideas related to agriculture, tourism, innovations/technologies, or creative industries. All in all, within the framework of the 3 phases of the program, 14 young entrepreneurs were funded. Continue reading on our website See the photo story on our Facebook Page See the video success stories on our YouTube channel

3 | P a g e

The Importance of the Emergency Management System – RDFG DRR Center Meets with the Representatives of the Parliament, the Government, and the UNDP UNDP, with financial support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), assists the Government of Georgia to adopt a proactive integrated climate risk management (CRM) approach centered around risk reduction, prevention, and preparedness through the establishment of a multi-hazard early warning system and an enhanced use of climate information in planning and decision-making across all sectors. The initiative will address the main barriers to the establishment of a multi-hazard early warning system (MHEWS) and all other aspects of a priori climate risk management required to support an effective MHEWS. On August 6-8, 2020, a working meeting was held in on the threats caused by the climate change and the measures to be taken in Georgia to adapt to this change. At the event, Vano Grigolashvili and Shota Kublashvili, the experts of the Association Rural Development for Future Georgia’s (RDFG) Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Center, represented the concept of the emergency management system and emphasized the importance of establishing the early warning systems. The presentations also included a legal review of existing legislation and the need for appropriate refinement. The meeting was attended by Nino Tsilosani – Chairperson of Environmental and Natural Resources Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, Nino Tandilashvili – Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, and Louisa Vinton – United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident Representative. The meeting, also attended by other representatives of the Government and Parliament of Georgia, was organized by the UNDP in close cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, with financial support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Swiss and Swedish Governments, and with the active involvement of the RDFG DRR Center. Continue reading on our website See the photo story on our Facebook Page

4 | P a g e

Success Story of this Quarter ______

Adventure Rope Park in the town of Manglisi – an Attraction Distinguished with its Diversity and Location Near the Capital City

Algeti National Park, located in the small town of Manglisi known as a medical and recreational resort, is scattered 60 km away from , the capital city of Georgia. In addition to its recreational and therapeutic benefits, Manglisi is also famous for its tourist attractions – to sight them you can plan a special route at the visitor’s center in the National Park. In 2019, with the support of the Association Rural Development for Future Georgia (RDFG), in the framework of the EU- funded ENPARD Programme, an Adventure Rope Park was also established in the heart of the Visitor’s Center. The park has added additional touristic value to the town of Manglisi and has become a particularly important cognitive and entertaining place for locals and foreign visitors.

“At the first stage, we presented the project itself, and later we were required to go into the details about how much revenue the project would bring to the small town of Manglisi, how many visitors we would host, how we would comply with safety standards, etc. Finally, the project was approved by the Tetritskaro Local Action Group (LAG) Evaluation Committee – and later we received the grant”, - Avtandil Mchedlidze, the director of the says.

Find out more about the Adventure-Rope Park on our website See the photo story on our Facebook page

5 | P a g e

RDFG Chairman Was Elected as a Member of the Central Asia Regional Advisory Group (RAG) and GNDR National Focal Point for Georgia 10 June, 2020 – It is with great honor to inform you that Association Rural Development for Future Georgia’s (RDFG) chairman, Vano Grigolashvili was elected as a member of the Central Asia Regional Advisory Group (RAG) and GNDR National Focal Point for Georgia for the period of 2020- 2024. The Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR) is the largest international network of organizations committed to working together to improve the lives of people affected by disasters world-wide. GNDR was launched at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva in May 2007, in the belief that civil society will have a greater impact in strengthening the resilience of vulnerable people by working together. At the national level, Vano Grigolashvili, as a local representative of the network, will be responsible for coordination with other members in their countries and will bring in the national perspective to inform GNDR engagements. RDFG Chairman, as a new RAG will play a critical role in contextualizing the newly launched GNDR member-led Global Strategy – Local Leadership for Global Impact (2020-2025) in Central Asia. As a part of the GNDR governance structure and in an advisory capacity, RAG members will actively feed into and disseminate the decisions of the GNDR Global Board and in the process will hold the Board accountable. Continue reading on our website

RDFG DRR Center Continues Working on Emergency Plans with the Representatives of the Akhmeta and Tsalka Municipalities June 2020 – Association Rural Development for Future Georgia’s (RDFG) Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Center continues working on emergency management plans in the USAID Zrda Project target municipalities – for this purpose, within this month, Shota Kublashvili, RDFG Emergency Management and Disaster Risk Reduction expert visited Akhmeta and Tsalka municipalities. The main purpose of the meetings was to assess the disaster risks for each municipality and to identify the 4 main risks. Continue reading on our website

6 | P a g e

Donate to the RDFG fund and make a tangible change!

Donated Money Will be Fully (100%) Spent on the Needs of the Vulnerable Families

Please, contribute to our development activities and humanitarian response and assist the most vulnerable communities to overcome poverty across Georgia, which has further deteriorated due to the secondary impact of COVID-19. Funds you donate will have a huge impact on the life of the rural communities, especially women, youth, persons displaced due to armed conflicts or disasters caused by natural or man-made hazards, people with disabilities, who cannot build sustainable livelihoods and self-resilience without our joint assistance. Your support is key to empowering these communities and creating a brighter future!

Only with joint efforts, it is possible to make a lasting change!

Continue to our website to make donation

Information concerning the donation and supported families will be permanently updated on our web-pages www.rdfg.ge and www.tetritskarolag.ge

7 | P a g e

RDFG Contact Point 4, Gabriel Isakadze Street, 0160, Tbilisi, Georgia 03 22 24 05 01 [email protected] www.rdfg.ge For more information please contact Nina Kopaleishvili, Association Rural Development for Future Georgia’s (RDFG) Communications Officer at [email protected]

8 | P a g e