Akhalkalaki District Participatory Assessment and Survey Results

The European Commission (EC)-funded Social and Market Akhalkalaki Linkages program began implementation in December 2005. The program is being implemented by Mercy Corps
under the EC Integrated Poverty Reduction Scheme in rural communities of Georgia's Samtshkhe-Javakheti region.

The receiver of the program is the Ministry of Agriculture, on behalf of the Government of Georgia. Mercy Corps and its local partners conducted a needs assessment survey from February through April of 2006. Mercy Corps partners include: the Association of Business Consulting Organisations of Georgia (ABCO), International Centre on Conflict and Negotiation (ICCN) and the International Association of Agricultural Development (IAAD).

The survey covered all 22 sakrebulos (21 rural and one town) in the district. The aim of the survey was to gain a better understanding of the socioeconomic situation and the dynamics of development in the district. It also will be used as a key prerequisite for setting benchmarks to measure the impact of the EC program.