Women develop greenhouse farms in Marneuli Municipality

“Before [the programme], I had a simple greenhouse, and my crops often spoiled. In July and August, I could not grow anything at all. Now, I and other women have set up greenhouses according to our needs, with modern ventilation and irrigation systems,” says Naira Bolkvadze, a farmer from the village of Maradisi in Marneuli Municipality who successfully runs a greenhouse.

Naira is one of the participants in a pilot programme launched in 2022 through a collaboration between the Rural Development Agency (RDA) and UN Women to organize greenhouse farms. In her new greenhouse, Naira grows lettuce, basil and ornamental cabbage, selling her harvest locally or at the wholesale market in Tbilisi.

On 24 May, Naira showcased her modern greenhouse to guests visiting Maradisi, including representatives from UN Women, the RDA, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Austrian Development Agency. During the visit, the guests toured a total of six greenhouses in three Marneuli villages—Maradisi, Akhali Dioknisi and Araflo—and learned about the activities of the women who grow vegetables and flowers with the programme’s assistance.

With the Greenhouse Pilot Programme for Women, which was implemented not only in Marneuli but also in Lagodekhi, a total of 37 women received financing to set up their greenhouses. UN Women contributed 80 per cent of the financing. According to a 2023 independent assessment by the company ACT, the programme’s results are quite positive. The evaluation considered relevance, integration, short-term and long-term results, and effectiveness. Notably, the RDA has continued the programme in the municipalities of Chkhorotsku, Vani and Chokhatauri. In this new phase, 63 women are participating, and the establishment of their greenhouses is fully financed by the State.

The goal of the stand-alone Greenhouse Programme for Women was and is to empower economically inactive women, improve their socioeconomic status, and encourage and support their inclusion in agricultural activities. The programme was developed exclusively for women and targets small landowner farmers. It offers financial and technical assistance to eligible participants to establish new greenhouses. The beneficiary’s co-financing requirement is set at a minimum of 10 per cent of the greenhouse’s set-up cost, which is significantly lower than the co-financing rates typically required in other existing RDA programmes.

“After joining the program, we, the participating women, considered forming a women's cooperative to expand production. We aim for our products, grown with proper fertilizer use and ensuring consumer safety, to gain even greater recognition in the market," adds Naira Bolkvadze.

The cooperation between UN Women and the Rural Development Agency is part of the “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the South Caucasus” regional project implemented by UN Women. It is being implemented with financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Austrian Development Agency.