Promotion of Rural Development and Diversification in Khulo Municipality

Project Client

Khulo Municipality;

Country

Georgia;

Origin Of Funding

European Commission;

Start Date

01.05.2017

End Date

28.02.2021

Region

Caucasus;

Project Description:

PMC Research Center, within a European Commission project, is working together with Caritas Czech Republic and the Croatian Rural Development Network to promote rural development and diversification in the municipality of Khulo in Georgia.

The project aims to bring together local government officials, farmers, CSOs, youth groups, business owners and other stakeholders in each of the 13 administrative territorial divisions of Khulo Municipality and to create a local action group (LAG) by introducing the LEADER approach. The rationale behind the method is to involve the relevant people and bodies to contribute to the rural development process and to establish a municipal development strategy.

The ultimate objective of the collaboration is to make a significant contribution to addressing the challenges of poverty and unemployment in the Municipality.

To ensure the effectiveness of the project, PMC Research is conducting the following activities:

  • Selecting representatives of the Khulo community, including representatives of youth groups, civil society organizations (CSOs), local government and businesses, who are interested in representing their respective groups / entities through a LAG
  • Arranging a set of interactive workshops for LAG members to help them understand specific development issues facing their community and to enable them to propose appropriate development measures
  • Facilitating the elaboration of a local development strategy by the LAG and supporting its presentation to the public from whom feedback is sought
  • Organizing a set of trainings on business management and marketing for entrepreneurs in pre-identified sectors (e.g. farming, processing of agricultural products, tourism and handicrafts)
  • Facilitating the elaboration of a tourism development plan for the Municipality
  • Organizing workshops to provide the LAG with feedback based on an evaluation of its performance and preparing recommendations for the LAG’s future operations.