On May 3, 2018, at 12 o’clock, a ceremony of signing memorandum between Georgian Parliament Staff and Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences was held. The participants were the staff of the Parliament and the representatives of 11 scientific and study organizations including GAAS. From the side of the Parliament staff, memorandum was signed by the head of the staff Givi Mikanadze, and from the GAAS, the president, Academician Guram Aleksidze. The subject of the memorandum is cooperation between the sides based on mutual understanding and respect. Its aim is to develop: a. joint activities and collaboration on urgent and important problems;  b. scientific and study programs, c. highly qualified personnel, publications of study programs,  text-books and other necessary scientific materials.

The Academy of Agriculture takes responsibility to support, train, raise the qualification and involve in different projects and educational activities the members of the Parliament.

    On the initiative of GAAS together with Ajara Ministry of Agriculture and personally Avtandil Meskhi, in 2018, experimental feeding of silkworm with the help of small-scale technical devices will take place in Ajara Agro-service Center  Experimental Station. The meeting dedicated to this problem was held with participation of Academician Elguja Shapakidze, Gocha Beridze, Director of Agro-Service Center, Ioseb Abuladze, Deputy Director, also the representatives of Agro-service Center.

Sericulture in Ajara needs restoration and development.  Long term study of the problem has been conducted by E. Shapakidze  and  G. Nikoleishvili who worked out theoretical and practical approach to this problem which envisages sericulture development in Georgia, and particularly in Ajara region. The projects for investments, 3 pornographies and recommendations  have been dedicated to this problem.

This year, Ajara Agrocervice Center  Experimental Station will implement the project:  feeding of silkworm  which which will lay the foundation to restoring century-old traditions in Ajara. For this purpose Agro-service Center ordered to Ozurgeti plant to produce technical device for mechanical feeding on 60 sq. meters which was recommended by the Academy.

In the nearest future, the process of feeding silkworm will start directed by a Doctor of Sericulture Nargiz Baramidze and with active participation of other members of the Center.

It should be mentioned that Ajara Ministry of Agriculture carries out large practical and research activities. A. Shapakidze visited greenhouses, vine nurseries, Center for Greenhouse Development Support in Gvara and were present at the meeting when technical devices were distributed within the project named: “Support and supply of farmers with the technical Devices”.

Agro-service Center also has an Agro-market which supplies the farmers with fertilizers, technical means of potato growing and other means of production.

Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences takes part in the consulting process regarding the regulation: Agricultural lands of Georgia

On April 23, 2018, Academicians of GAAS Nodar Chitanava and Elguja Shapakidze  took part in the discussions  which dealt with  regulation on agricultural lands. The representatives of  non-governmnetal and international organizations also participated in  the meeting.

 As Otal Danelia, the head of Agrarian Committee of Georgian Parliament mentioned, many different opinion and suggestions have been presented and many of them are reflected in the Law.

Nodar CHitanava supported the main principles of the Law and mentioned that the passage of the law will speed up agricultural production and support complex development of agrarian branches.  Also he presented some of the assumptions of GAAS which will help the implementations of the aims and objectives envisaged by the regulations. 

  Academician Chitanava proposed that in the category of lands for agricultural purposes should be included the lands with perennial plants. Also he added that those lands should be given to foreign owners on lease which will help the development of land market.

 Chitanava suggested that National Agency for Land Sustainable Development, should be renamed into: “The Agency of Land Resource Management and Land-use Monitoring.“

O. Danelia declared that moratorium with regards of selling agricultural lands to foreign countries’ citizens raise some problems in Bank Sector and the legislators think that also some changes should be introduced in acting moratorium, so that financial resources become again free, because due to this moratorium the actives today are beyond disposition. 

Chitanava offered foundation of State Commercial Agricultural Land Bank which will assist the development of agrarian sector and stimulate land rational application. 

Also, Chitanava opposes the fact that areas occupied by territorial waters are included in Georgian land fund. They should be fixed separately according to their status and discussed within the framework of the present draft.

 At the end of the meeting Mr. Otar Danelia said that the opinions expressed at the meeting will be taken into consideration and would be further discussed. 

The Results of the Elections of the President of Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences

The President of Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences

President, Academician Guram Aleksidze

On March 23, 2018, a meeting of the members of the Academy was held and the agenda included election of the president of the Academy. The meeting was headed by a chairperson, Vice President of the Academy, Academician Givi Japaridze. March 12, 2018, was the deadline for nominating the candidates for presidency. Only one candidate was nominated for the position of the president of the Academy – Academician, Guram Aleksidze.

The head of Election Committee, Acad. Nodar Chitanava presented to the meeting participants the personal documents of Guram Aleksidze which were in full conformity with the requirements outlined in the legal documents of the Academy.

The head of Election Committee also read out G. Aleksidze’s biography at the meeting.

G. Aleksidze presented his Program regarding further development of scientific and educational activities of the Academy for 2018-2022. The program raised live interest among the meeting participants and was approved unanimously.

The elections were held by secret balloting system and out of 30 participants of the meeting – 29 cast vote for Academician Guram Aleksidze. One bulletin was considered void. Therefore, Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences elected Academician Guram Aleksidze, a Real Member of the Academy, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, as a President of the Academy for five years.

The Head of the Meeting, Acad. Givi Japaridze

The meeting participants and the staff of the Academy congratulate Guram aleksidze with the election and wish him success in his scientific pedagogical and social activities.