THE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION AND EDUCATION CENTRE HELD AN INFORMATIONAL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATION SYSTEM (AKIS)

The Environmental Information and Education Centre organised an informational discussion about the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS). For the general population interested in agriculture, the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) is a mechanism that ensures access to innovations and knowledge.

Representatives from the commercial sector, sectoral associations, educational and research institutions, non-governmental organisations, and relevant ministries attended the meeting and were given full details regarding Georgia's agricultural knowledge and innovation system.

Robert Lemans, an expert in agriculture, forestry, and food sciences at the University of Bern's School of Applied Sciences, introduced the participants to the Swiss experience of AKIS based on international practice and identified the factors for achieving success in this direction.

"The AKIS system ensures access to knowledge and innovations for stakeholders in agriculture and the introduction of effective coordination mechanisms. The modern system of agricultural knowledge and information is fragmented; its strengthening requires the creation of effective knowledge flows in the country and the formation of a new systemic vision," stated Solomon Pavliashvili, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.

The meeting was attended by Giorgi Nanobashvili, Head of the Economic Development Division of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and Beka Taghauri, representative of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The meeting was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, within the project.

The event took place as part of the "Modernisation of the Vocational Education System in Agriculture of Georgia (VET Phase 3)" initiative, which is being carried out with assistance from the UNDP and funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).