Strengthening Livelihoods and Social Inclusion in Georgia’s Forest Sector Reform
Since 2020, Switzerland has supported Georgia’s Forest Sector Reform (FSR), led by the Georgian Government with co-financing from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Germany. In this final phase, Switzerland will continue its contribution to address decades of forest overuse and weak governance that left ecosystems degraded. Priorities include municipal forest management, stronger forestry education, and sustainable, inclusive value chains. Swiss expertise will promote quality standards, innovation, and research.
| Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Georgia |
Climate change and environment Governance nothemedefined
Forestry policy
Vocational training Democratic participation and civil society |
01.10.2025
- 31.12.2029 |
CHF 3’525’000
|
- Other international or foreign NGO North
- GIZ
-
Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation FORESTRY
EDUCATION
GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation Forestry policy
Vocational training
Democratic participation and civil society
Cross-cutting topics The project promotes biodiversity.
Aid Type Mandate without fiduciary fund
Project and programme contribution
Project number 7F10387
| Background |
Forests are essential for Georgia’s climate resilience, biodiversity, and rural livelihoods. Yet, decades of overuse and weak governance have left forest ecosystems degraded and vulnerable. Switzerland, as a strategic partner, contributes to the Forest Sector Reform by promoting decentralized and sustainable forest governance that strengthens local institutions and rural economies. Phase 1 has laid critical groundwork, but significant gaps remain: municipalities lack the institutional and technical capacities needed for assuming forest management responsibilities by 2030; participatory forest governance is still limited; and the education system does not adequately prepare the forest workforce. Forest value chains remain largely informal, underdeveloped and inaccessible for the disadvantaged groups, particularly women. Phase 2 will address these challenges to ensure sustainability of the reform’s achievements. |
| Objectives | Diversify the livelihood opportunities and strengthen the local self-governance in forest management in the target communities of the regions Kakheti, Guria and Mtskheta-Mtianeti of Georgia to increase incomes and reduce socio-economic disparities. |
| Target groups |
Direct beneficiaries: 2’000 persons, including municipal staff, forest-dependent households, entrepreneurs and SMEs, vocational trainees and university students, private sector actors through the Alumni Network. Indirect beneficiaries include 242’500 citizens from eight municipalities in the regions of Kakheti, Guria and Mtskheta-Mtianeti, with a special focus on 66’928 socially vulnerable individuals, majority being women. |
| Medium-term outcomes |
Outcome 1: The municipal authorities and citizens have and use relevant technical and human capacities to participate in the sustainable management of forests in the target regions. Outcome 2: Men and women in target communities benefit from diversified income opportunities thanks to forest-related value chains, forest-related knowledge and skills. |
| Results |
Expected results: - 810 persons enrolled in forestry TVET courses. - 3 joint forestry research projects initiated between the Ilia State University and ETH Zurich. - 200 forestry value chain actors, constituting the Alumni Network, capacitated in business skills and commercial networking. - 20 trained enterprises formally registered for better marketing opportunities. - 4 municipalities piloting Green Space Management/Municipal Forest Management. Results from previous phases: - A number of municipal-level tools was developed and piloted: a legal act defining the Forests of Local Importance (FoLI), a Municipal Forest Management (MFM) toolbox, an Improved Public Participation Approach (IPPA), a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM). - 3 summer schools for the forestry students from the Ilia State University and ETH Zurich took place. - A long-cycle vocational course for a Forest Work Specialist and 3 short-cycle training courses on forest value chains were developed for 8 TVET colleges. - 144 local SMEs and entrepreneurs across forest value chains were capacitated. - 32 business ideas were upgraded and supported, with 22 of them successfully securing external financing. |
| Directorate/federal office responsible |
SDC |
| Project partners |
Contract partner International or foreign NGO |
| Coordination with other projects and actors | The project is part of a broader initiative, funded by the GCF, BMZ and Government of Georgia. Moreover, coordination with Georgia’s Local Economic Development (LED) and Rural SME Development (RSMED), as well as with Armenia’s Forest Restoration and Climate Change (FORACCA) projects is planned. |
| Budget | Current phase Swiss budget CHF 3’525’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF 0 Budget inclusive project partner CHF 114’924’257 Total project since first phase Swiss budget CHF 4’800’000 Budget inclusive project partner CHF 8’325’000 |
| Project phases |
Phase 2 01.10.2025 - 31.12.2029 (Active) Phase 1 01.07.2020 - 30.09.2025 (Current phase) |
