Historically, hazelnuts have been one of Georgia’s main crops in terms of economic value; as the country is located on the Black Sea coastal area, which has suitable soil and climate conditions for growing hazelnuts. Even as early as the fourth century B.C., populations grew wild forms of hazelnut, which later adapted to local conditions and formed regional varieties (GEONUTS, 2023).

ISET Policy Institute, in partnership with UNDP, has launched a new project, entitled "Developing RIA SME Test Methodology for Georgia", with the aim of strengthening the Government’s capacity to analyze policy impacts on SMEs by providing essential tools, knowledge, and practical experience.

The study examines challenges to Georgia’s economic and democratic development that accompany growing presence of Russian business ownership in the country; and seeks to heighten awareness among key stakeholders (i.e. government, civil society organizations, development partners) and the Georgian public regarding the associated risks and threats.

Pollution is an existential threat to modern society, one which endangers both human and planetary health. It includes contaminating the air with ozone, sulfur, nitrogen-containing nitrous oxides, and delicate particulate matter (PM2.5). Reduction of air pollution is a key aspect of Green Growth, which, together with attaining the goals of the Paris Agreement, could save around a million lives a year worldwide by 2050 (Rijsberman, 2019).

Geostat has published its rapid estimate of the real GDP growth for the fourth quarter of 2022, and its estimated growth stands at 9.5%, which is 2.5 percentage points below the ISET-PI’s most recent forecast.