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Oxfam Georgia Programme presented the New research
Today, on February 28, Oxfam Georgia Programme presented the research on the impact of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) on small holder farmers in Georgia. The results of the research was presented by the British Expert, Mr. Thomas Lines.
The aim of the research is to emphasize the advantages of DCFTA to Georgia, however, it also presents risks, especially in those parts of the legislation which will affect half of the population who live off small family farming plots. Without compensating changes in policy for smallholders, there are considerable risks to domestic markets if European products or companies were to swamp the capacity of local producers to compete. Small agrarian countries, like Georgia is, have generally experienced increases in food imports and declining self-sufficiency in food, not matched by any substantial benefits for subsistence and semi-subsistence smallholders. This tends to harm both food security and a country’s foreign trade balance.
The research also elaborated the recommendations to the Government, on the ways and means of support of the rural population to exploit properly the benefits that DCFTA could bring through designing the tailor-made policies and programmes for the Small holder farmers.
The Ministry of Agriculture and other Government Institutions, as well as representatives of EU delegation to Georgia, and representatives of Civil society organizations attended the meeting
Please see the official statement
Research link
