“No donor can come close to the role and money of the state,” Gela Khanishvili, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Managing Partner of Agro-1959, told TV-porgram “Business Course".
Khanishvili hopes that donor-funded programs will continue, although he estimates that the largest share of funding in the sector falls on the state. The businessman says that in addition to financial assistance, the state also retrain farmers and brings foreign experts, therefore, the state has successfully replaced the donor share, although if donor assistance continues, it will help the sector.
Khanishvili also said that state programs have given the sector a significant boost in this regard.
"Donors are of great importance in agriculture. I deeply believe that USAID programs, which were important for agriculture, will return here again, but no donor can even come close to the role and money of the state. The state's assistance in lending to banks is 3.2 billion GEL. Donor money is good, but more important than that is the farmer's determination, orientation towards knowledge, and use of state programs, through which 300 million GEL of financing is provided annually", - Khanishvili said.
