The Role of Women in Georgian Agriculture
In Georgia, women play a crucial role in agricultural systems, particularly in the dairy sector, where they carry out most tasks related to livestock rearing and milk processing. However, they face multiple inequalities, especially regarding land ownership—only 20.7% of land is owned by women[1]. Since access to information, technologies, and government funding depends on land registration, their ability to benefit from these services is limited. This restricts their potential to fully contribute to their country’s economic and social development.
[1] According to “Women in the rural economy in Georgia”, published in 2022 by UN Women – https://georgia.unwomen.org/
“The role of women in agriculture is extremely important, especially in dairy farming, which is the main activity for women in our villages. It is therefore essential to support this sector.” — Nora Melikidze, dairy farmer in Chobareti, Georgia
It is in this context that the agricultural agency Fert, in partnership with AFD (French Development Agency) and the company Fromi[2], is supporting Georgian dairy farmers in developing their businesses. Fert has been working in Georgia since 2011, collaborating with the technical team GBDC-AO and the regional farmers’ association Ertoba. Together, they have launched a dairy advisory service and demonstrated that farmers—both men and women—can organise themselves effectively.
Although women currently make up only 22% of farmers involved in GBDC’s activities, Fert and its Georgian partners are committed to ensuring their role in farm management is recognised. As a result, more and more women are benefiting from advice and training to innovate and improve their practices. In particular, women are highly engaged in all activities related to milk quality and cheese production.
[2] Fromi, a cheese trading company, supports Fert’s work in Georgia by donating €0.25 to Fert for every 1 kg of Xavier David brand cheese sold.
