The team of the Strategic Analysis Think Tank is starting to implement the project entitled:“ Building economic resiliency of communities adjacent to the occupation line along Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia in Georgia“ (SAMRS/2023/GE/1/1) in cooperation with partner organizations from Georgia, specifically Populus Rei and Information Center on NATO and EU and in cooperation with the Development Agency of Banska Bystrica Region – Dobrý Kraj. 

The project is generously supported by the Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation.

The project will be implemented from September 4, 2023, to December 31, 2024, in seven districts along the administrative boundary line (ABL), separating Georgia from the Tskhinvali region/ de-facto South Ossetia. The so-called ABL communities are based in Dusheti, Kareli, Kaspi, Gori, Khashuri, Sachkhere and Oni districts. Within these communities, the project will focus on young people, especially young women, small entrepreneurs – primarily businesswomen, and local and regional self-government representatives.

Simultaneously, the project will strengthen the economic resilience of the ABL area in Georgia by increasing local production, building accommodation capacities, and optimizing the area’s tourist potential. The Slovak assistance and technical support for ecological production will enable the creation of adequate conditions for better economic resilience and sustainability of ABL communities. Besides that, the project will seek to improve the quality of life and health of residents through the support of the development of sustainable infrastructure, sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection, specifically in the ABL area.

The project also aims to build capacities for young people by providing them with the soft skills necessary for their realization within the community and to motivate them to stay in the target districts, develop their businesses and families there, and participate more actively in public life instead. 

Finally, the project seeks to provide the ABL communities with the efficient tools and means to strengthen their economic self-sufficiency and sustainability. As the detailed research assessing the needs of ABL communities revealed, one of the obstacles to improving the economic efficiency of their production is the lack of opportunities to export their products to more distant markets. Therefore, the project’s ambition is to initiate support for the export of products to richer markets (Tbilisi, Kutaisi). Subsequently, the project envisages assisting local producers from ABL communities in negotiating with Georgian retail chains to place their products on specifically and visually differentiated counters/shelves under a uniform name branded as „Resilience Products“ (Gamdzleobis Produkti).

This project is generously funded by:

This project is led by:

This project is implemented in partnership with:

Project Activities:

Supporting Local Producers: Donation of Packaging Machines for Small Businesses in ABL Communities in Georgia

On August 20-21, 2024,  the initiative „Supporting Local Producers: Donation of Packaging Machines for ABL Communities“ was successfully carried out. As part of this activity, special cheese vacuum sealers and necessary packaging materials were delivered to the working zones of the villages Pkhvenisi, Nikozi, Agara, Knolevi, Chorchana, Kvenatkotsa, and Ruisi.

By donating simple packaging and vacuum machines, local producers will have a better opportunity to prepare their products for the market. A total of 5 manual packaging machines for dried fruits and other products and two vacuum machines for packing cheese and cottage cheese from micro-producers were delivered.

This project emphasizes helping disadvantaged communities in hard-to-reach areas, with special attention given to women producers and entrepreneurs.

This initiative is an important step toward strengthening local economies and supporting sustainable development in the region.

Project Monitoring Mission in the ABL Communities in Georgia, August 6 – 13, 2024

From August 6 – 13, 2024, the Project Monitoring Mission in the ABL Communities in Georgia took place, focusing on planning and assessing the next steps of the project. During this mission, our team visited the capital city of Tbilisi, areas near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL), and future project activity sites, including the mountain resort of Gudauri, where the summer school will take place.

On August 7, 2024, our team met with the partner organization Populus Rei in Tbilisi. This full-day meeting was crucial for the strategic planning of the next phases of the project. Together, we discussed detailed steps to improve project implementation and identified potential risks that could affect its success. These discussions resulted in a clear timeline and task allocation among all partners. We also focused on expanding cooperation with both international and local partners, laying the groundwork for more effective future activities.

Another important aspect of our mission was finding suitable venues for upcoming project activities, specifically for organizing the summer school. In Gudauri, we visited several hotels and negotiated with their managers to find the most suitable location that would meet our needs. This selection was important as the summer school will be a key activity aimed at increasing civic engagement among young leaders from the ABL communities.

In the following days, we focused on meetings with farmers and producers from ABL communities. These meetings took place in the cities of Gori (from Shida Kartli region) and Mestia (from Svaneti – Racha- Lechkhumi region), where we discussed opportunities for developing their businesses and integrating them into the project. In Mestia, we also held negotiations with suppliers from the Racha region, where we concentrated on the potential to expand their products to more lucrative markets. This initiative was aimed at supporting local producers to distribute their products both within Georgia and internationally more effectively.

Supporting the export of products from these regions to more profitable markets was one of the main topics of our discussions. We focused on establishing networks and logistics that would enable local farmers and producers to market their goods successfully. In this way, we strengthened the project’s and supported the economic development of ABL communities.

Overall, this mission represented a key step forward in advancing the project, which is focused on improving living conditions and economic opportunities in the ABL communities of Georgia.

Empowering Youth in ABL: Soft-Skill Training for Civic Engagement and Resilience, 16 – 19 th of April, 2024

From April 16th to 19th, 2024, a Soft-Skills Training took place, welcoming a total of 50 representatives of young leaders from ABL communities. These participants were carefully selected with the Georgian partner, Information Center on NATO and EU.

Four days in total, separated into Ambrolauri and Gori, were brimming with intense training with Slovak and also Georgian experts.  The activity aimed tobuild the capacity of young people from ABL communities through the transfer of soft-skills training, enabling them to realize themselves within the community and motivating them to stay in the target districts, as well as participate more actively in public life.

The trainings covered specialized topics: critical thinking, project writing (training on project and financial management), civic participation, and youth engagement in public affairs

From the 16th to the 17th of April,  we commenced training in Ambrolauri, where we opened the training with opening remarks,  led by our President and Founder, Jan Cingel, and Irina Shamiladze from the Information Centre on NATO and EU.

Throughout the day, discussions, led by experts like former diplomat Mr. David Nardaia and EU integration specialist Mr. David Bujiashvili, delved into topics ranging from NATO’s global security role to Georgia’s path towards EU membership. In addition, the topic of Anti-Western propaganda, its main goals and objectives, as well as methods of combating disinformation, were addressed. The lecture on this topic was led by Mr. Giorgi Tskhvitava, Founder of the Association of Military Journalists.

However, it was the second day that they truly put their skills to the test. Mrs. Alexandra Tóthová, our Executive Director, led the team through financial management training, ensuring they were equipped to handle the intricacies of project finances.

Under Jan Cingel’s guidance, they then dove into project management, learning how to navigate the complexities of implementation effectively.

Then, we continued the soft-skills training in Gori, from the 18th to the 19th of April with the same modules.

Fostering Collaboration: Study Trip to Slovakia, February 19th – 23rd, 2024

From February 19th to 23rd, 2024, a Study Trip took place, welcoming 10 representatives of farmers and small entrepreneurs from the ABL Communities in Georgia. They were carefully selected based on their business plans in collaboration with the Georgian partner, Populus Rei. 

Four days in Slovakia were brimming with intense meetings with Slovak experts and inspiring figures. The aim of the activity was to foster a more intensive exchange of experiences and insights with Slovak small-scale entrepreneurs and farmers. 

This initiative sought to enhance collaboration and understanding between the participants and their Slovak counterparts. The dissemination of Slovak experiences covered specialized areas: beekeeping, production of cookies, jams, and other fruit and vegetable products, marketing/promotion of green tourism, agrotourism, building sustainable local brands and regional cooperation.

Promotion and sustainable development of local dairy product producers were emphasized. During the study trip, representatives from Strategic Analysis, in collaboration with the Slovak partner, Development Agency of Banska Bystrica Region, organized and coordinated meetings with farmers, small entrepreneurs, and regional development experts. 

On Monday, February 19th, the delegation met with the director of SlovakAid, Mr. Tomáš Bokor, and the project manager, Ms. Anna Mária Benková. SlovakAid expressed admiration for their entrepreneurship in the ABL communities, recognizing the challenges they face. Mr. Bokor emphasized the importance of sustainability in business operations for long-term viability. The delegation anticipated gaining insights into the culture, experiences of people, challenges in agriculture, and utilized strategies during their visits. Our journey continued to a Farm in Kuchyna, where they observed the farm’s facilities and daily operations, followed by a visit of Bio Farm in Stupava, experiencing Slovak sheep cheese in a local shepherd’s hut and exploring sheep, horses, and other domestic animals. 

On Tuesday, February 20th, the delegation, along with the Strategic Analysis team, traveled to Banská Bystrica region. In collaboration with the Development Agency, they delivered lectures on Agrotourism development strategy and Marketing and promotion of Green Tourism – practical examples. 

Wednesday, February 21st, started with a visit to a Secondary Vocational school under Bánoš, where the delegation witnessed the school’s operations. The school provides professional training for beekeepers widely attended by domestic and international professionals regarding the husbandry of bees and manufacturing of products. Later, they attended lectures on regional cooperation and cooperatives and building local brands. 

Thursday, February 22nd, included a field trip to Devičany village, visiting Farma na Háji, where they cultivate fruit, vegetables, and medicinal plants, as well as raise sheep and bees, and process wool. Then we visited  Jabloňovce village, meeting a local baker as part of the Regional counters project. We concluded the day with a lecture in Banská Štiavnica on Challenges of developing green/sustainable tourism and regional cooperation in a UNESCO site. The study trip culminated with a debrief and a farewell dinner. 

Building Sustainable Futures: ABL Workshops in Sachkere and Gori, 27th of November – 01st of December, 2023

From the 27th of November until the 01st of December, 2023, the team of Strategic Analysis Think Tank, in cooperation with the Populus Rei,  co-organized the series of two three-day training sessions focused on the development of agrotourism, green tourism, organic and bio-product production, local branding, regional cooperation, and cooperatives, for young farmers, representatives of regional and local self-governments, CSO and NGO representatives, local SMEs and micro-entrepreneurs. The training session focused on ABL (Administrative Boundary Line) communities.

The workshops were conducted during two trips to Georgia in two cities within the ABL communities: in Sachkhere (attended by representatives from the Oni and Chiatura districts), and in Gori (attended by representatives from the Kareli, Chasuri, Kaspi, and Dusheti districts). The three – days workshops held in Sachkere and Gori are part of the project „Building Economic Resiliency of Communities Adjacent to the Occupation Line Along Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia in Georgia“ (SAMRS/2023/GE/1/1) focuses on strengthening the economic resilience of the ABL area in Georgia by increasing local production, building accommodation capacities, and optimizing the area’s tourist potential. Slovak assistance and technical support for ecological production will enable the creation of adequate conditions for better economic resilience and sustainability of ABL communities.

The Training sessions covered these topics:

• Building Cooperatives & Social Economy: Mrs. Marcela CHRENEKOVA, Associated Professor, Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, Slovakia
• Green Tourism: Mrs. Ludmila ELEXOVA & Mrs. Maria URSINYOVA, Tourism Consultants at the Development Agency of the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region
• Presentation of the FEASIBILITY STUDIES for ABL communities focused on green innovation, social entrepreneurship, and regional development: Mr. Tomas BARANEC, Research Fellow & Head of the Caucasus Programme, Strategic Analysis Think Tank
• Production of Bio-Organic Products: Mrs. Jana VAVERCAKOVA, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board, Ekotrend Slovakia 
• Success Stories: Mrs. Lana GHVINJILIA, Founder of Populus Rei

The most active male and female participants will have the opportunity to travel to Slovakia and deepen practical knowledge through experience in the Slovak Republic based on the developed business plans.

Kick-off Coordination Meeting –  September 19 to September 23, 2023, Tbilisi, Georgia.

The official kick-off coordination meeting of the Georgian partners took place from the 19th to 23th of September 2023 in person in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The main purpose of this meeting was to refine and agree on the project schedule, set up the implementation, and go over the project objectives and challenges.