Articles
Farmer-to-Farmer program: teaching best management practices to Georgian peach growers
Article number
1126_18
Pages
143 – 148
Language
English
Abstract
In 2012, I made two 2-week trips for training, field visits and making recommendations for peach growers in the Kakheti region, Republic of Georgia, as part of the US Agency for International Development (US AID) CNFA Farmer-to-Farmer program.
Georgia has a long history of peach cultivation.
However, due to the August 2008 Five Day War with Russia, a historic neighboring trading partner, direct shipment to Russia was no longer allowed.
This resulted in a considerable oversupply of fruit that needed to be marketed to neighboring Azerbaijan.
The commercial peach orchards that I visited needed considerable attention.
Following site visits, problem diagnoses and extensive discussions with the owners and farm manager, an intensive educational training program was taught both in classroom and field settings.
This included a comprehensive week-long Peach Growing 101 training course.
Visits to other comercial and government run orchards were used to build connections between the growers I was working with and other in-country experts.
Georgia does not have a Cooperative Extension service like here in the USA. Visits to both local wholesale and retail farmerRSQUOs markets were used as opportunities to discuss best management practices after harvest.
A full recommendation report was prepared and shared with the growers.
Near the end of the second visit, I participated in an interview about peach growing for the popular Our Farm television program to a national television audience on 9/9/2012. We made observations about problems in the orchard and discussed differences in peach cultivation between the Republic of Georgia and the USA.
Georgia has a long history of peach cultivation.
However, due to the August 2008 Five Day War with Russia, a historic neighboring trading partner, direct shipment to Russia was no longer allowed.
This resulted in a considerable oversupply of fruit that needed to be marketed to neighboring Azerbaijan.
The commercial peach orchards that I visited needed considerable attention.
Following site visits, problem diagnoses and extensive discussions with the owners and farm manager, an intensive educational training program was taught both in classroom and field settings.
This included a comprehensive week-long Peach Growing 101 training course.
Visits to other comercial and government run orchards were used to build connections between the growers I was working with and other in-country experts.
Georgia does not have a Cooperative Extension service like here in the USA. Visits to both local wholesale and retail farmerRSQUOs markets were used as opportunities to discuss best management practices after harvest.
A full recommendation report was prepared and shared with the growers.
Near the end of the second visit, I participated in an interview about peach growing for the popular Our Farm television program to a national television audience on 9/9/2012. We made observations about problems in the orchard and discussed differences in peach cultivation between the Republic of Georgia and the USA.
Authors
D.R. Layne
Keywords
US AID, peach, Republic of Georgia, international consulting, farmer education, best management practices
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