The Georgian Rural Development Program of the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GRDP of GIPA) is the successor of a United States Department of Agriculture-funded program launched in June 2003 and managed by the GIPA since April 2005. Its mission is to develop sustainable modern practices in rural areas through knowledge-based programming. Providing a wide variety of services—education and capacity-building, institutional development, designing sustainable socio-economic solutions for conflict and economically depressed zones, policy making and administration in the fields of agriculture and rural development and project management—its key fields of expertise and intervention area agriculture, veterinary, animal health, food safety, agricultural statistics, agro-business, professional and vocational education and the rural economy.
Starting from 2005 our work includes the following current and ongoing projects: Integrated Socio-Economic Zone (ISEZ) which addresses the socio-economic needs in the war-effected region of Shida Karli through restoring and enhancing agricultural, agro-business productivity and promotion of social and community activities; Veterinarians' Regional Associations (VRAs) which bring together more than 100 rural veterinarians to support and promote their work in expanding veterinary coverage throughout Georgia; the Association Management Center (AMC) which was introduced as a solution for the operational and management gaps within volunteer membership organizations; Extension Training Sessions as a pilot model for extension centers based on the US Land Grant Universities model; Capacity Building of Georgian National Statistics Office and the Ministerial Level Steering Group of the National Animal Health Program which works at the policy level with the Ministry of Agriculture to support advisory function, facilitate information sharing and to channel donor investment into sustainable projects. GRDP of GIPA is honored to count the following organisations and agencies among its partners and donors: USDA, UNHCR, European Commission, USAID, UNICEF, DAI, Millennium Challenge Georgia, DAI, CNFA and OSI.
