Sustainable Forest Management for Rural Development

As part of the project entitled Promoting Sustainable Forest Management for Climate-Resilient Rural Development in Georgia, CENN aimed to contribute to the reduction of rural poverty and to assist in the delivery of commitments made by the GoG under the SDGs, the NDC and the EU-Georgia Association Agreement concerning sustainable green growth. The overall objective of the activity was to enable the environment and effective interagency coordination for improved forest and watershed management, sustainable rural energy solutions, and diversification of rural income opportunities.

The ACT team conducted a baseline survey to identify practices of using various forest resources and services economically, as well as the production and supply of forest products and services. The baseline survey also analyzed the production and consumption of fuel energy resources, identified the attitudes towards the state approach to disaster risk reduction management. The role and representation of women formally or informally engaged in the process was also identified in the project.

As a result of the study, a baseline database was developed for project indicators in line with the project’s log frame. The baseline survey report was presented to CENN and the main stakeholders. The database and survey results were to be used to monitor the project’s progress against the set indicators throughout the project’s implementation. As a result of the project, in four targeted regions - Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, AR Adjara, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, and Kakheti - pilot activities were planned to ensure effective cooperation in forest management, energy efficiency, and diversification of income sources.