Closing Conference of the Project on Young Social and Green Entrepreneurs

CENN, with the support of the European Union and in partnership with the Green Lane NGO (Armenia) and KRDF (Georgia) held a closing conference and expo of the EU-funded “EU4Youth – “Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development (SEED) for Green Growth” project.

Colombe De Mercey, Team Leader for Governance and Human Capital, at the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, delivered a welcome speech and opened the event.

“I am very happy to be with you today and to see the results that this project has successfully achieved despite many challenges in the region. On the one hand, it is a very sad day because this important project is coming to an end. However, on the other hand, I think that this is only the beginning of the changes that have been laid in the framework of this project. It is important that you young people continue to work in your countries, communities and families for a greener, more sustainable and democratic future,” said Colombe de Mercey.

The conference was finalised with the exposition of 18 social and green entrepreneurs from Georgia and Armenia. Guests had the unique opportunity to get acquainted with beneficiary entrepreneurs, their products and services in the exhibition space.

Main Results

CENN Launched a New EU-funded Rural Development Project in Guria

On March 22, 2023, the launch event for the new EU-funded “Green Guria – Supporting Local Democracy and Rural Development for Inclusive and Resilient Green Growth” project was held in Ozurgeti Techno Park, Guria, organised by CENN with partner organisations. The project aims to reduce poverty and improve the economic and social environment and living conditions of vulnerable rural communities in the Guria region. 

Over three years, the project will operate in the Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti, and Chokhatauri municipalities. The project will establish Local Action Groups (LAGs) in these municipalities and develop local development strategies that prioritise the needs of gender, youth, and vulnerable groups. The project will also promote sustainable practices and diversification of the local economy and empower women, youth, and civic organisations and communities.

Georgia With the Support of IUCN and ADC is Considering the Need to Create a Special Drought Response Plan and Service

The two-day seminar was held in cooperation with CENN and the World Union for Conservation of Nature, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations.

At the workshop, state, civil and international organizations agreed on the need to create special drought management systems, which, through complex measures and nature-based solutions (NBS), should reduce the frequency and severity of droughts and increase the resilience of natural and urban environments to drought.

Given the nature of the drought, responding to it requires a combination of emergency and complex measures. Drought is largely attributed to meteorological and climatic phenomena, but there is evidence that land degradation significantly increases the negative effects of drought. Land management fundamentally affects soil structure, which determines its physical, chemical and biological properties. Consequently, it affects the hydrologic cycle, including water infiltration, soil water retention, surface runoff, and groundwater recharge. This fact has a direct impact on the ecological cost of water and land productivity.