On July 29, Unites States Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft, along with a large delegation of Georgian and U.S. officials, visited wheat farmers working with CNFA’s USAID-funded Georgia Agricultural Risk Reduction Program (GARRP). The ambassador had the opportunity to watch the wheat being harvested and meet and talk with the farmers. CNFA’s Patrick Norrell presented the history and achievements of the project. Among the group were representatives from USAID and the Georgian government, including Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mikhail Machavariani, Majority Leader from Parliament Peter Tsiskarishvili and Deputy Agriculture Minister Alex Tsintsadze.

Speaking to the assembled group, Deputy Speaker Machavariani summed up his feeling of gratitude for the program. “Last year the Russians brought us bombs and burning wheat fields,” he said. “The Americans brought us seed and have helped this year to produce a bumper wheat crop.”

CNFA’s Georgia Agricultural Risk Reduction Program has been very successful. While the other regions of Georgia are struggling to harvest their wheat, CNFA’s beneficiary farmers in just the Shida Kartli region have harvested 40,000 tons, a full two thirds of the country’s total expected harvest. The improved seed varieties introduced by CNFA will allow farmers to continue to see increases for years to come.

As a result of the $19.5 million project, more than 40,000 farm families 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 $44 million, and at least $16.5 million will be injected into local agribusiness through partnerships with private sector suppliers and service providers.