Cluster Diagnostic Study of Poultry in Kvemo Kartli Region, and Processing and Preserving Fruits and Vegetables in Guria Region Clusters

This project aims to describe both the history and the current situation of clusters of the Guria and Kvemo Kartli regions of Georgia, to analyze their business operations, to develop a cluster map, and, finally, to elaborate both short-term objectives and a long-term vision for the development of the clusters.

In order to attain its goals, PMC Research is undertaking the following activities:
 

• Defining clusters (poultry; and processing and preserving fruit and vegetables), taking into account two major dimensions (products and location);
• Gathering preliminary data to estimate: turnover; the number of enterprises, support institutions, and business development service (BDS) providers; average income of workers; and rates of employment and exports;
• Collecting similar data and information at regional and international level for benchmarking;
• Preparing a diagnostic questionnaire for the cluster diagnostics of the poultry cluster in Kvemo Kartli region, and for the processing and preserving fruit and vegetables cluster in Guria region for both producers/processors and support institutions;
• Selecting sample sizes and identifying stakeholders to be interviewed;
• Conducting interviews with principal firms, support firms, and associations/networks in poultry cluster in Kvemo Kartli region and in the processing and preserving fruit and vegetables cluster in Guria region;
• Organizing focus group meetings with cluster stakeholders for the purpose of information-gathering and to validate the interim findings;
• Analyzing interviews, including enterprise issues, inter-firm collaboration, capability issues, analysis of business services, assessment of governance structures, etc.; and
• Preparing a final report.

This project is being implemented as part of the program entitled “EU Innovative Action for Private Sector Competitiveness in Georgia (EU IPSC),” which is a joint initiative of the European Union and four UN agencies – United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) – aiming to enhance entrepreneurship and business sophistication by strengthening the capacities of government and local entities to develop and operate clusters.