Georgia Potato Forum sjocht mei optimisme foarút

Dizze wike kamen wichtige akteurs út 'e ierappelsektor fan Georgje byinoar gear om ideeën te besprekken om de ierdappelsektor te ferbetterjen. 

Neamd de “Georgia Potato Foarum, "De gearkomste rjochte him op manieren om weardekeatlingen te ûntwikkeljen om merkmooglikheden foar boeren te ferbetterjen, wylst merken en konsuminten ierappels fan hegere kwaliteit levere. It Forum wie de earste yn in searje dy't sil trochgean yn 2021 en waard sponsore troch it United States Agency for International Development (USAID) en de Eastenrykske ûntwikkelingsagintskip (ADA). 

Peter Wiebler, the USAID Mission Director for Georgia welcome the guests and panelists to Forum, reviewing his agency’s goals for their involvement in the country. “We are here to help Georgia become more self-reliant by planning and developing solutions to its own challenges, starting with the agriculture sector. [Improving the potato sector] will provide households with more high-quality food and the higher revenues will bolster long-term economic growth. We know we can accomplish these goals with high-quality varieties from the International Potato Center (CIP) and by making market connections with private sector representatives here today.” 

Iuri Nozadze, de plakferfangend minister yn it Ministearje fan Miljeubeskerming en Lânbou, betanket USAID en ADA foar har ynvestearring en merkt op it wichtige wurk dat oan 'e gong wie foar it oplieden fan boeren en spesjalisten foar útwreiding yn nije lânboupraktiken dy't hegere opbringsten soene mooglik meitsje, mar mei legere ynfloed op dat miljeu. 

Samarendu Mohanty, CIP’s Regional Director for Asia, offered the third and final welcome to the Forum with great optimism, citing CIP’s success in India with apical rooted cuttings to improve seed quality for farmers, which would strengthen future harvests. “When farmers become self-sufficient with producing their own seed, the benefits are two-fold. They save money because they do not need to buy seed and they produce higher yields.” 

Known in Georgia as “second bread,” potato has more than commercial promise in Georgia, said Ian Barker, the Program Director of Global Potato Agrifood Systems at CIP. Potato is the world’s third most important crop. Its high water efficiency and short growing cycle make it a “good friend” to farmers who wish to grow an extra round of crops in between cereal harvests. As a result, potato cultivation has grown from 20 million tons to 200 million tons in Asia since the 1960s and more growth is possible with proper investment in irrigation, processing, and market development. 

"CIP is pleased to be on this journey to self-reliance with Georgia,” Barker said. 

The keynote presentation followed from Jorge Andrade, a plant pathology specialist with CIP, who discussed the institutions work with market-based approaches to potato sector development, and specifically Dielnimmende merkketen benaderingen. 

"Us wurk giet oer it oandriuwen fan 'e merkfraach nei ierappel, by it ûntwikkeljen fan sterker weardeketens dy't hegere ynkommen soargje foar boeren." 

Andrade gave an example of the Kiwa brand potato chips in Peru, made from potatoes of various hues and harvested in the Andes Mountains. CIP worked with producers and the private sector in Lima to develop this product, which they launched in a National Potato Day event in 2016. The chips are now sold in 30 countries around the world, drawing premium prices.  

Yn Georgië, sei Andrade, hoopje se op ferlykbere trochbraken. Ynisjaal wurk om sterker siedsysteem te ûntwikkeljen is begûn mei modele siedkwekerijen en fermannichfâldigingsstasjons, wylst ek bannen foarmje tusken boeren en merken. 

After Andrade’s presentation, a 20–minute discussion followed, moderated by Rusudan Mdviani, CIP’s Regional Leader for Central Asia and Caucasus. The back and forth allowed attendees from private sector and government officials to ask more questions about perceived future challenges and means to overcome these obstacles.