Boosting Extension for Sustainable Livestock and Honey Production
Climate change has a great impact on the environment and causes new challenges in agriculture, which are important to overcome for the sustainable development of the sector. Farmers follow years of established practices, which are less relevant in the face of climate change.
Momavlis Fermeri started helping the Information Consultation Centres (ICCs) of the Rural Development Agency (RDA) to improve its extension services with a focus on innovative, environmentally sustainable farming practices and ways of dealing with climate change.
Extension specialists from twelve municipalities attended training on how to effectively deliver relevant information on the 26th of June at Dmanisi Swiss Agricultural School Caucasus. The training sessions covered a range of topics aimed at addressing challenges faced by extension specialists, including enhancing communication techniques, preventing the emergence of new diseases, minimizing the use of antibiotics, appropriate inputs and practices to adopt during heat stress, improving cow udder health control, and adapting to climate realted changes in food production and soil fertility.
Farmer-targeted information and promotional materials, including, short, fast-paced, easy-to-digest content will be shared with extension specialists for further dissemination among farmers.
‘It is an important activity for the RDA, and we embrace it. Strengthening extension specialists in each municipality will undoubtedly enhance their service to farmers and improve the Agency’s capacity to help farmers cope with climate related challenges.’ - noted Lasha Shalamberidze, the head of the Regional Relations Department at the RDA.
The training was facilitated by the ALCP2, a project funded by a consortium of donors: the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) project in cooperation with the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) and Sweden.