2011
Start of the Fert-GBDC/Ertoba partnership
ERTOBA – SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI FARMERS’ ASSOCIATION IN GEORGIA
Sustainably improving farmers’ incomes in Georgia’s Lesser Caucasus
Ertoba
Annual Budget :
210,000 €
Context
In Georgia, agriculture is still shaped by the transformations that began after the end of the Soviet era, and the country has not yet achieved food self-sufficiency. In the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, family farms mainly produce potatoes, milk and honey, but yields and incomes remain low. Limited access to advisory services, equipment and markets constrains their development.
In partnership with the technical team of GBDC-AO and the Ertoba farmers’ association, Fert has developed an agricultural advisory service and demonstrated that farmers can successfully organize collectively.
Partnership Objectives
- Increase production volumes through efficient and environmentally responsible farming practices
- Add greater value to products through post-harvest operations and the marketing of safe, high-quality products
- Strengthen the sustainability of the supported FOs and expand their services to more farmers
Key moments
Our Impact
More profitable farms, more autonomous farmers, and agricultural organizations able to sustainably provide services tailored to farmers’ needs.
749
farmers supported across 124 villages, including 22% women and 24% young people
161
Ertoba member farmers, organized across three value chains: dairy farming, potatoes and beekeeping
2.4
fold increase in feed margin per cow between 2019 and 2025, reaching GEL 1,820 per cow in 2025
+ 48 %
increase in honey production per hive between 2023 and 2025, reaching 10 kg per hive in 2025
90 %
of members believe that support from Ertoba/GBDC-AO contributed to improvements in productivity, prices and profits, according to the 2025/26 external evaluation
Key Results in 2025
✦ 500 farmers benefited from agricultural advisory services, including individual consultations, trials and exchange visits
✦ 23 group purchasing operations benefited 205 farmers, improving access to quality inputs and small equipment at lower cost
✦ 22 local Tenili cheese farmers organized into an association, with an estimated gross margin of GEL 24/kg of cheese
✦ 4 collective investment projects supported to facilitate shared access to agricultural equipment
Related resources
