Georgian Farms Reap Bumper Crop After Conflict

Winter wheat is plowed in Nadarbazevi Village, Gori District, Georgia

Some 40,000 households working on 89,000 acres in the region most affected by the conflict have received USAID assistance and brought in a harvest estimated to be worth $44 million.

This program has been recognized by the government of Georgia as the most important post-conflict assistance it has received.

"Last year the Russians brought us bombs and burning wheat fields," Michael Machavariani, Georgian deputy speaker of parliament, remarked at a recent ceremony to mark the harvest of the winter wheat. "The Americans brought us seed and have helped this year to produce a bumper wheat crop."

During the summer 2008 conflict, Georgian farmers fled their homes at a critical time in the growing season. Many crops were damaged or died and irrigation systems were cut off or destroyed. Unexploded weapons and other war debris made fields unsafe to farm. In a region where the average household income is less than $1,500 per year, few had resources to begin farming again. Without immediate assistance, some of Georgia's poorest families were at immediate risk.

Assistance to these farmers came in the winter crop planting season in October when the Agency launched the Georgia Agricultural Risk Reduction Program (GARRP) to assist with planting despite the presence of Russian troops. The program helped 7,600 farmers affected by conflict, allowing them to plant and cultivate 31,000 acres of wheat.

The initial $5.5 million program was funded jointly through USAID and the Department of Defense. In addition, private sector farm service centers, supported by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, provided warehousing and farm services.

Higher quality seeds helped these farmers double their harvest this year and should lead to higher yields in the next four years. Of the 60,000 tons of wheat expected to be harvested in Georgia this year, nearly 40,000 will be the direct result of U.S. assistance.

GARRP has been expanded to an 18-month, $19.5 million program that is also providing assistance to grow corn and fruit. About 10,000 families have planted 23,000 acres of corn.

This includes all of the long-term internally displaced persons that were provided agricultural land by the government of Georgia.

A third component of the program is providing supplies for more than 18,000 orchard growers using electronic voucher cards. This fall the project will provide winter wheat assistance to 3,500 families who could not access their land in time for spring planting due to security or the presence of unexploded weapons in their fields. The program will inject $16.5 million into the local economy through purchases and reimbursements to Georgian businesses for services and supplies.