Food safety has become an important aspect of agricultural policy for many countries (see, e.g., CAP). By definition, “Food safety refers to the conditions and practices that preserve the quality of food to prevent contamination and foodborne illnesses.” In other words, food safety aims to protect the health of humans, animals and plants at every stage of the food production chain in conformance with the "farm-to-table” principle established by the EU.

The project “Meet the Meat Demand” is a cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture MOA of Georgia and the French Livestock Institute, financed by the French Ministry of Economy through the FASEP program. The aim of the study is to assess the possibilities for development of beef production in Georgia.

After a hike in excise tax on cigarettes in January 2017, the Parliament of Georgia is going to introduce legislative changes to the existing tobacco control law (TCL) in March. Since its enactment in 2003, TCL has been modified several times. However, the recently proposed changes can be considered the most radical step towards a tobacco-free society in Georgia. New draft law comprehensively covers production, packaging, marketing, advertising, selling and consumption of tobacco, and other activities of tobacco businesses.

On December 16, in cooperation with MOLI, ISET organized a dialogue on “The Role of Leaders in Modernizing Georgian Agriculture”. The MOLI (Market Opportunities for Livelihood Improvement) project is implemented by the HEKS/EPER office in South Caucasus with the support of the Swiss Government.

My dad used to tell me stories about the exciting period when the Soviet Union’s economy started faltering and public resources were suddenly up for grabs in the chaos of capitalism that emerged. While this period is usually associated with the appearance of crafty oligarchs, in Georgia also less wily businessmen could exploit the circumstances, among them many Turks.