TİKA Inaugurated Two Projects in Georgia

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) inaugurated two projects in Batumi, Georgia.

In Batumi, the inauguration ceremony for the “Ahali Meurneoba Cooperative 2020 Hydroponic Strawberry Production and Modern Gothic Soil Production Greenhouse Construction Project” was held first with the participation of Fatma Ceren Yazgan, Turkey’s Ambassador to Tbilisi; Rıza Kağan Yılmaz, Turkey’s Consul General to Batumi; Necla Demirdağ, TİKA’s Tbilisi Coordinator; local MPs; and officials of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara in Georgia.

In her speech at the ceremony, Necla Demirdağ, TİKA’s Tbilisi Coordinator, thanked those who were involved in the project, which was implemented successfully, and said, “Our project is based on hydroponic greenhouse farming and modern Gothic greenhouse farming with the use of an unprecedented cultivation method and agricultural technique in the region.”

Noting that Batumi is a tourist destination and has become the tourism hub of the country thanks to investments, Demirdağ said, “Considering the hotels and restaurants in the city, it was determined that there is a high demand for less commonly cultivated crops in the region and that there will not be any problem with marketing.”

Ambassador Yazgan stated that Turkey and Georgia are two friendly and neighboring countries and strategic partners and that she was pleased with the effective projects that TİKA has implemented in various fields in Georgia for many years. Stressing that TİKA delivers aid from the Republic of Turkey to different parts of the world and that it was important that Georgia was among the countries assisted, Yazgan said that such projects contribute to building bridges of friendship between countries. Yazgan added that TİKA would implement new projects for the development of Georgia in the future and that they should continue to work closely with Georgia and further expand future cooperation.

Delivering a speech at the ceremony, which was also attended by Turkish business people, MPs Anzor Bolkvadze and Tariel Nakaidze thanked Turkey for their support for their country. Bolkvadze and Nakaidze stated that they were deeply saddened by the forest fires in Turkey and stood in solidarity with the people of Turkey during these difficult times.

The project aims to increase the equity of disadvantaged farmers in the region, support the workforce, and maximize yield.

Inauguration of the Moza Cooperative Sewing Workshop

After the inauguration of the greenhouses, the delegation visited the city center of Batumi and inaugurated the “Moza Cooperative Sewing Workshop” there. Ambassador Yazgan, Consul General Yılmaz, and Coordinator Demirdağ inspected the workshop and received a briefing from the employees about the activities of the workshop. Keso Mamuladze, director of the workshop, stated that various items of clothing could be sewn in the workshop.

Mamuladze added that items of Islamic women's clothing would also be sewn in the new workshop and that Muslim women living in the region bought their clothing items from Turkey since such items could not be sewn in the workshop before.