Support to the Development of Livelihoods in Disadvantaged Rural Regions of Georgia Mestia Samegrelo Upper Svaneti Region

Project Description

The project “Support to the Development of Livelihoods in Disadvantaged Rural Regions of Georgia – Mestia/Samegrelo – Upper Svaneti Region” is funded by the European Union with co-funding from the Austrian Development Cooperation, and is being implemented by Care Austria (CARE) in collaboration with PMC Research. 

The main objective of the project is to address the challenges associated with poverty and unemployment in the municipality and to elaborate a joint local development strategy (LDS).

In order to achieve its objectives, we will implement the LEADER/Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) methodology by bring together local government officials, farmers, CSOs, youth groups, business owners and other stakeholders to unite them under a local action group (LAG), and encourage them to play a key role in the development of their municipality.

More specifically, PMC Research will conduct the following activities:

• Form a Local Action Group (LAG);
• Identify local needs and the potential of the municipality;
• Provide capacity-building trainings to Mestia LAG members;
• Provide the LAG with experts on several issues, including gender and diversity, and environmental protection during the development of the local development strategy (LDS);
• Provide key inputs to align the LDS with national policies;
• Support the LAG to establish a grant scheme in order to fund priority actions set by the Mestia LDS;
• Select, fund, and support implementation and monitoring of local initiatives; and
• Enhance the capacities of pre-selected and selected applicants of the grant schemes.