Il-Georgia Potato Forum iħares 'il quddiem b'ottimiżmu

Din il-ġimgħa, atturi ewlenin mis-settur tal-patata tal-Ġeorġja ltaqgħu virtwalment biex jiddiskutu ideat biex itejbu s-settur tal-patata tal-pajjiż. 

Imsejjaħ il-Forum tal-Patata tal-Ġeorġja, "Il-laqgħa ffokat fuq modi kif jiġu żviluppati ktajjen ta 'valur biex itejbu l-opportunitajiet tas-suq għall-bdiewa filwaqt li jipprovdu lis-swieq u lill-konsumaturi patata ta' kwalità ogħla. Il-Forum kien l-ewwel minn sensiela li se tkompli fl-2021 u kien sponsorjat mill-Aġenzija ta ’l-Istati Uniti għall-Iżvilupp Internazzjonali (USAID) u l- Aġenzija Awstrijaka għall-Iżvilupp (ADA). 

Peter Wiebler, the USAID Mission Director for Georgia welcome the guests and panelists to Forum, reviewing his agency’s goals for their involvement in the country. “We are here to help Georgia become more self-reliant by planning and developing solutions to its own challenges, starting with the agriculture sector. [Improving the potato sector] will provide households with more high-quality food and the higher revenues will bolster long-term economic growth. We know we can accomplish these goals with high-quality varieties from the International Potato Center (CIP) and by making market connections with private sector representatives here today.” 

Iuri Nozadze, id-Deputat Ministru fil-Ministeru tal-Protezzjoni Ambjentali u l-Agrikoltura, irringrazzja lill-USAID u l-ADA għall-investiment tagħhom u nnota x-xogħol importanti li kien għaddej fit-taħriġ mill-ġdid tal-bdiewa u speċjalisti tal-estensjoni fi prattiċi ġodda tal-biedja li jippermettu rendimenti ogħla iżda b'inqas impatt fuq dak l-ambjent. 

Samarendu Mohanty, CIP’s Regional Director for Asia, offered the third and final welcome to the Forum with great optimism, citing CIP’s success in India with apical rooted cuttings to improve seed quality for farmers, which would strengthen future harvests. “When farmers become self-sufficient with producing their own seed, the benefits are two-fold. They save money because they do not need to buy seed and they produce higher yields.” 

Known in Georgia as “second bread,” potato has more than commercial promise in Georgia, said Ian Barker, the Program Director of Global Potato Agrifood Systems at CIP. Potato is the world’s third most important crop. Its high water efficiency and short growing cycle make it a “good friend” to farmers who wish to grow an extra round of crops in between cereal harvests. As a result, potato cultivation has grown from 20 million tons to 200 million tons in Asia since the 1960s and more growth is possible with proper investment in irrigation, processing, and market development. 

"CIP is pleased to be on this journey to self-reliance with Georgia,” Barker said. 

The keynote presentation followed from Jorge Andrade, a plant pathology specialist with CIP, who discussed the institutions work with market-based approaches to potato sector development, and specifically Approċċi tal-Katina tas-Suq Parteċipattiv. 

"Ix-xogħol tagħna huwa dwar li nmexxu d-domanda tas-suq għall-patata, filwaqt li niżviluppaw ktajjen ta 'valur aktar b'saħħithom li jiżguraw dħul ogħla għall-bdiewa." 

Andrade gave an example of the Kiwa brand potato chips in Peru, made from potatoes of various hues and harvested in the Andes Mountains. CIP worked with producers and the private sector in Lima to develop this product, which they launched in a National Potato Day event in 2016. The chips are now sold in 30 countries around the world, drawing premium prices.  

Fil-Ġeorġja, qal Andrade, huma qed jittamaw għal break-throughs simili. Ix-xogħol inizjali biex tiġi żviluppata sistema ta 'żerriegħa aktar b'saħħitha beda bil-mudell ta' rziezet taż-żerriegħa u stazzjonijiet ta 'multiplikazzjoni, filwaqt li jifforma wkoll rabtiet bejn il-bdiewa u s-swieq. 

After Andrade’s presentation, a 20–minute discussion followed, moderated by Rusudan Mdviani, CIP’s Regional Leader for Central Asia and Caucasus. The back and forth allowed attendees from private sector and government officials to ask more questions about perceived future challenges and means to overcome these obstacles.