Kvemo Kartli Research Articles

GIS served ambulance arrival time in the Kvemo Kartli region, Georgia

GIS served ambulance arrival time in the Kvemo Kartli region, Georgia

Talking Tourist Places, as the Innovative Platform in Tourism (Marneuli Municipality)

The project EU4Business-Connecting Companies, managed by Euro-chambers and funded under the EU4Business initiative of the European Union, launched in 2009 to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU), its Member States, and its six Eastern neighbors (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine) (EU4Business, n.d.) The project involved collaborating with two organizations: "Travel Agency Saba" in Tbilisi, Georgia, and "Movimento Life Beyond Tourism-Travel to Dialogue Srl Soc. Ben" in Florence, Italy. The primary goal of this collaboration was to promote cross-border cooperation and create a platform for joint activities and projects aimed at promoting tourism products at both local and international levels. One specific initiative mentioned was the implementation of the "Talking Places" program in specific Georgian heritage sites. The project also involved establishing agreements with local administrations to support these initiatives. The research project titled "Marneuli Municipality Talking Tourist Places as a Tool for Green Economy of the Community" was oriented on the Kvemo Kartli region (Marneuli Municipality). The project included various research activities, such as conducting a needs assessment in the tourism sector. The ultimate aim was to encourage the local community to follow Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), create an eco-friendly environment, use a storytelling platform to promote local culture, and contribute to the international attractiveness of the region. Financial support for this initiative was guided by HEKS-EPER Georgia and the European Union. The project aimed to increase the average stay of visitors, enhance the visibility of less-known destinations, and promote cultural mindfulness and typical local products. Overall, it appeared to be a comprehensive effort to foster sustainable tourism development and economic growth in the target region.

Impacts of Crop-Specific Agricultural Practices on the Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Soil in Kvemo Kartli Region (Georgia): A Preliminary Assessment

Maintaining sufficient levels of plant nutrients in the soil and controlling certain heavy metals, which can be toxic to the environment, are critical to ensure sustainable agricultural production. The study aimed to assess the linkage of crop-specific agricultural practices established by farmers in the Kvemo Kartli region (Georgia) with metal accumulation in soils of agricultural lands being subject to influence from polluted irrigation water in the past. In particular, we tried to identify the primary sources of micro-nutrients, including iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn), and toxic elements such as cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), and the share of the contaminated irrigation water and other factors related to agricultural practices under different land uses, such as intensive and extensive arable farming, vineyards, orchards, and permanent pastures having the least disturbed soil. Based on principal component analysis, five primary sources were identified and categorized according to farmer interviews and previous studies conducted in the region. The results showed that increased concentrations of plant-available Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb were mainly associated with irrigation water and intensive use of fungicides; Fe, Mn, and Ni were closely linked to several factors, such as the mineralogical composition of soils, minerals, and organic fertilizers inputs; and atmospheric deposition from diffuse sources, where exhausts from transport are probably the primary source. During our study, we attempted to differentiate irrigation water inputs from fungicides using simulation based on irrigation patterns and irrigation water quality on the one hand and fungicide application rates and their metal contents on the other. The simulation revealed that the intensive application of fungicides, especially in vineyards, is more significant in enriching soils with Cu and Zn than irrigation water. Identification of factorial dependences was supported by statistical analysis and application of several contamination assessment methods: contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), single-factor pollution index (PI), Nemerow’s comprehensive pollution index (PIN), enrichment factor (EF), and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). Applied environmental indices indicate that the soils under the former and existing vineyards are the most enriched with Cu and Zn, highlighting the significance of agricultural practices on heavy metal accumulations in the soils of agricultural lands.

“Maybe he’s thinking something on the inside but is not showing it to us”: The Dynamics of Neighborhood Relations between Azerbaijani and Armenian Communities in a Multiethnic Region in Georgia after the Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020

This paper explores the specifics of post-conflict neighborhood relations in the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities in Kvemo Kartli, one of the most ethnically mixed regions in Georgia. The diverse ethnic composition of the region and its historical and political background demonstrate that the non-homogenous, multiethnic local communities coexist, coping with post-conflict experiences. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted between 2020 and 2022, including interviews and field observations, this paper presents how the outbreak of the Nagorno-Karabakh war influenced contemporary Azerbaijani-Armenian relations in Georgia. The results of author's research indicate that local communities developed contrasting approaches and strategies while still maintaining neighborly relations involving antagonistic tolerance. The article poses the question of whether relations in the community are based on the komshuluk system, or whether it is rather the case of antagonistic tolerance. It also reveals in what situations conflicts occur and in what situations good neighborly relations are nurtured. Therefore, the research results also fill a gap in the studies on interethnic relations in Georgia after the Nagorno-Karabakh war. This is also the first study that uses the aforementioned theoretical framework to analyze this particular area in Georgia.

Silver Coins of Queen Rusudan from Samshvilde

On July 24, 2019, a pit burial was discovered near the ruins of Samshvilde Sioni Cathedral on the territory of the former settlement of Samshvilde (Kvemo Kartli region, South Georgia). Even though it was damaged by the occupation of the later periods, the artifacts uncovered there have helped determine the burial's chronology and cultural context. Along with dis-articulated human remains, a completely corroded iron ring, pottery fragments, ten well-preserved silver coins were discovered in the grave. The present article is the first publication dedicated to this discovery. It provides information about preliminary results and brings the new numismatic finds into scientific circulation as new data for an understanding of the history of Samshvilde and medieval Georgia in general.1

სახელმწიფოს როლი ტურისტული ბიზნესის განვითარებაში

Tourism business in Georgia is a means of stimulating the country's economy, it creates additional jobs, develops small businesses, is an important source of income for other business sectors, promotes the sale of products produced and imported in the country, and therefore, as in other countries, this sector is an important source of state income in Georgia. According to the information spread by the National Tourism Administration, in 2022, Georgia received 3.5 billion dollars in income from international travel. According to their own statement, the income received from travel in 2022 exceeded the figure of 2019 and showed a record figure of 3,516,634,479 USD, which is a recovery of the similar figure of 2019 by 107.6%. According to the data of the National Statistical Service of Georgia, in 2022, 5.4 million international non-residents travelled to Georgia, which is 2.9 times higher than the previous year. Most of the visits were made in Tbilisi at the regional level, 57.2%, followed by Adjara with 45.1% and Mtskheta-Mtianeti with 19%. From the rest of the regions, the most visits were made to Kvemo Kartli 7.9%, Samtskhe-Javakheti 7.7%, Imereti 7.5% and Kakheti 5.8%. In Georgia, in order to develop the tourism business during the pandemic and post pandemic period, it was necessary for the state to develop a systematic approach. It is worth noting that the government has shown some support in this direction and carried out the postponement of loans taken by individuals and legal entities, exempting a number of companies from taxes and establishing certain benefits, etc. The National Tourism Administration, in its turn, implemented the following activities: support of the private sector and trainings in the direction of adaptation of operations, communication with private sectors, recommendations and planning of future actions, deepening of international cooperation. The project "Work from Georgia" of the National Tourism Administration made a great contribution to the development of tourism, which meant hosting highly paid citizens of foreign countries who wish to work remotely in Georgia. This project contributed to the entry of more affluent tourists to Georgia, and what is very important, it increased the statistical stay period of travelers in Georgia compared to previous years. Tourism, like other economic sectors, needs the establishment of appropriate state policies and state support, both at the local, regional and national levels, for stable development. The development of tourism business in Georgia and the growth of incomes from this field were caused by the recognition of tourism as a priority area of the country's economy. For a country that actually has tourism potential and possesses certain competitive advantages, tourism should be one of the main pillars and priority areas of the country's development strategy. Our country really has this potential, and with the support of the state, the tourism business will become more competitive throughout the region. Conclusions 1. The state should make the population more informed about the existence of state programs promoting tourism business, so that interested people can get involved in it if they wish. 2. The state should actively take care of the arrangement of destinations and infrastructure. 3. The more the demand of foreign tourists based on the increased tourist flows will be satisfied with local products, the more stimulating it will be for the economy of our country. 4. Involvement of the state in the development of tourism business is undoubtedly necessary. 5. The development of tourism business can make a significant contribution to the solution of the country's unemployment problem and the stability of the exchange rate of the lari.

The First Evidence of Burials from Samshvilde A Preliminary Archaeological and Bioarchaeological Study

Samshvilde is one of the most remarkable archaeological complexesin southern Georgia and in Caucasia in general. Its convenientgeographical position has attracted populations since the StoneAge, but the city gained its major political and economic powerin the medieval period, when it became the center of the wholeregion. Its location in the historic Kvemo Kartli province, near thesouthern branch of the Silk Road, contributed to its rapid development,and the promontory on which it was built allowed for itseasy defense. From 2014 to 2019 two archaeological sections werestudied on the site: the citadel, or main fortification system, andthe area near the Sioni cathedral that is dated to the 8th century.Excavations inside the citadel walls aimed to clarify the stratigraphyof this area, and in the Sioni section the focus was on findingthe city cemetery.During the summers of 2016 and 2017 human remains were exhumedfrom the Sioni section at Samshvilde. A bioarchaeologicaland brief mortuary analysis of graves no. 2 and 4 is presented here.Fieldwork is still under way in the cemetery, therefore it is too soonto have a global image of its features, such as typical burial practices,or a demographic profile of the population, but we hope topursue this analysis in upcoming years.

Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment of Georgian Hydrology under Future Climate Change Scenarios

The Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA) is a systematic process used to identify gaps in regional climate adaptation strategies. The CRVA method assesses regional vulnerability, adaptation capacity, exposure, and sensitivity to climate change to support improved adaptation policies. This CRVA study assesses Georgia’s climate exposure, geographic sensitivity, and socio-economic sensitivity by focusing on the impacts of climate change on regional hydrology. The projected change in climate extreme indices, defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI), is assessed against the 1961–1990 baseline under future Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. These indices encompass various climate factors such as the maximum daily temperature, warmth duration, total precipitation, heavy and extreme precipitation, maximum 5-day precipitation, and consecutive drought duration. This evaluation helps us understand the potential climate exposure impacts on Georgia. The climate-induced geographic sensitivity is examined based on water stress, drought risk, and changes in soil productivity using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The climate-induced socio-economic sensitivity is determined using the Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDP), Human Development Index, Education Index, and population density. The highest vulnerability to climate change was found in the Kakheti and Kvemo Kartli regions, with the vulnerability index values ranging from 6 to 15, followed by Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Samtskhe–Javakheti, and Shida Kartli with vulnerability index values ranging from 2 to 8. The location of these regions upstream of the Alazani-Iori, Khrami-Debeda, and Mktvari river basins indicates that the country’s water resources are vulnerable to climate change impacts in the future under the RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios.

MODERN STATISTICAL TRENDS OF EMPLOYMENT AND OUTPUT OF PRODUCTS IN THE REGIONS OF GEORGIA

Simon Gelashvili
 E-mail: simon.gelashvili@tsu.ge
 Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University 
 Tbilisi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8574-9383
 Abstract: The presented work concerns a very relevant topic - the quantitative research of employment and output of products in the administrative regions of Georgia. What is the employment situation according to the administrative regions of the country is of great economic and social importance. The purpose of the research is to identify and evaluate statistical trends in employment and output of products. The analysis period covers the years 2010-2022. Accordingly, on the basis of official statistical data, appropriate indicators are calculated, their changes are determined and their mutual comparison is given.
 In the research process, methods of statistical science are used, such as: data grouping, relative, average and variation indicators, presentation, etc. 
 As a result of the conducted analysis, it was determined that the obtained indicators are heterogeneous according to various signs - according to regions, according to time, volume of employment level, volume of released products and labor productivity. According to the mentioned indicators, very different trends were revealed.
 To determine the degree of economic inequality of regions, it is of great importance to study their economic activity, to identify and evaluate appropriate trends. Such an analysis, first of all, allows to determine different types of disproportion, which is a good basis for developing and implementing regional economic and social policies. The level of economic development of the country's administrative regions can be assessed by various quantitative and qualitative criteria. In this case, the following quantitative criteria will be considered: the level of employment, the volume of output of product and the level of labor productivity.
 Analyzing the data of the official statistics, it is clear that Adjara and Imereti take the leading position after Tbilisi in terms of the number of employees, where the number of employees increased in 2010-2022. In these regions, the population is relatively larger, which, of course, is proportionally reflected in the level of employment. In the analysis period, the average annual number of employees in all administrative regions of Georgia is characterized by a clearly expressed rapid growth trend: the number of employees increased 2 times and more in Mtskheta-Mtianeti (2.7times), Guria - 2.5 times and Adjara - 2.4 times. Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti regions showed relatively lower growth rate.
 One of the main characteristics of the region's economic activity is the volume of output of the product per employee on average, which measures the level of labor productivity. We have calculated the mentioned indicator according to all administrative regions of Georgia, on the basis of which it is possible to statistically assess the level of labor productivity in the regions according to each year of the analysis period and also to reveal a 12-year trend. In 2010, the highest level of labor productivity was in Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti and St. in Tbilisi, and the lowest in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, as well as in Kakheti. The positioning of these regions according to the mentioned indicator was the same in 2022.
 An important statistical characteristic is the positioning of regions according to the share of output of product. In 2022, the city is in the leading position with this indicator. Tbilisi, which is not surprising, because the largest part of the enterprises of the real sector of the economy is located here. The next position is held by Adjara, which moved from the 4th position in 2010 to the second and Kvemo Kartli. Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti and Guria are in the last positions with the smallest share. These 2 regions were in the same positions in 2010.
 As a result of the comparative analysis of the indicators of the employment level and the volume of output and the evaluation of the range of variation, a disproportion of different degrees between individual regions was revealed, which has a certain impact on economic growth and the level of socio-economic inequality.

The availability of comprehensive care of gastric cancer in developing countries: Georgian experience.

e13529 Background: The availability of comprehensive cancer care in different regions is the main problem in developing countries. In fact, the cancer centers are centralized and patients fail to receive the proper medical care in regions. The situation is critical for patients living in the zones of conflict. In Georgia we have cancer centers only in two cities Tbilisi and Kutaisi. The aim of the study was to investigate the rate of gastric cancer diagnoses in different regions of Georgia, that could be a model for developing countries. Methods: The spread of gastric cancer in Georgia was investigated retrospectively by analyzing the cases reported in different regions based on 5 years national cancer registry data from 2015 to 2021. The data included the number of cases, age, sex, and stage of gastric cancer. Data from all regions of Georgia were analyzed including occupied regions as Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. Other regions were – Tbilisi, Adjara, Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Mstkheta, Racha, Samtskhe, Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli. Results: A total of 1825 patients with gastric cancer were evaluated during the period of 2015-2021 years. The highest number of diagnosed cases were reported in Tbilisi, with 258 cases in males and 200 cases in females, followed by Imereti (Kutaisi) with 125 cases in males and 80 cases in females and Adjara 132 cases in males and 56 cases in females. The other regions had lower numbers of diagnosed cases, with the lowest being Tskhinvali with only three cases in males and six cases in females. In Abkhazia were 44 cases in males and 19 cases in females. In terms of stage distribution there was no difference between the regions, the majority of patients were stage IV accounting 42 % of all cases, 28% was stage III, 10 % was stage II, 5% was stage I and 15% was of unknown stage. Age ranges were different according to the sex and regions – in Tbilisi 35-83 in males and 26-94 in females, in Adjara 29-88 in males and 28-84 in females, in Abkhazia 35-83 in males and 41-83 in females, in Guria 37-91 in males and 39-83 in females, in Imereti 37-88 in males and 34-84 in females, in Kakheti 34-85 in males and 37-89 in females, in Mtskheta 34-91 in males and 50-84 in females, in Racha 31-72 in males and 30-81 in females, in Samegrelo 33-96 in males and 21-90 in females, in Samtskhe 43-94 in males and 38-81 in females, in Kvemo Kartli 26-85 in males and 38-90 in females, in Shida Kartli 39-85 in males and 38-90 in females, in Tskhinvali 66-84 in males and 33-76 in females. Conclusions: The study found that availability of comprehensive care for gastric cancer including diagnosing is limited in the regions of Georgia, with the lowest rates in occupied regions. To improve the cancer care in developing countries such as Georgia international and national strategies are needed.

ქ. რუსთავის და მიმდებარე ტერიტორიის ატმოსფეროში PM2.5-ის გავრცელების გამოკვლევა

The distribution of PM2.5 in the atmosphere of the city of Rustavi and its environs was studied under eastern background light air, gentle and fresh breeze. It has been established that the maximum concentrations of PM2.5 in the atmosphere of Rustavi are almost always higher than the corresponding maximum allowable concentrations. The trend of hourly changes in concentrations showed that during the day the concentration of microparticles reaches its maximum in the various period of the day. Numerical modeling of the local distribution of microparticles carried out in the city of Rustavi during background easterly light air, gentle and fresh breeze showed us that the change in the daily regime of relief and temperature with eastern light air in Rustavi for 12 hours leads to a complex and significant change in the wind speed directed to land. It forms on the territory of Kvemo Kartli the opposite current of the background wind, which corresponds to the horizontal circular wind circulation. The value of circulation gradually decreases with increasing height and in the boundary layer of the atmosphere (600 m above the earth's surface) has the form of a wave disturbance. the picture obtained with an average background east wind is qualitatively similar to the field obtained with a background light air, and with a fresh breeze, in contrast to the case of a light air and gentle breeze, the pollution zone covers most of the simulation zone.

Early Bronze Age settlement from ancient city Samshvilde

A settlement of the Kura-Araxes culture was discovered on the territory of the ancient city of Samshvilde. Houses of the Early Bronze Age were excavated west of the Temple of Sioni of Samshvilde in of 50-70 m. The houses are damaged by pits and walls of the medieval era. The walls of the houses are so fragmented that the plan of housing is difficult to determine. In the northern part of the excavation site, only a small part of a stone wall and a shelf have survived. Both of these structures are built of basalt stones. The shelf was covered with a clay solution. On the shelf were placed grain grinders and mortars, flint inserts of a sickle, and ceramic vessels of various sizes. At the base of the shelf there was placed a rectangular slab, the surface of which was covered with intricate geometrical décor. At the base of the shelf there were also placed fragments of a large vessels and ceramics of various sizes. Almost all ceramics are richly ornamented with spiral and linear décor. A similar decor is typical for ceramics of the late stage of the Kura-Araxes culture of Kvemo Kartli, Armenia and Iran. The Early Bronze Age ceramics, which were discovered on the Samshvilde settlement belong to the late stage of the Kura-Araxes culture and dates back to the 28th-27th centuries. BC.

WINE TOURISM: GLOBAL AND LOCAL PERSPECTIVES IN KVEMO KARTLI

Wine tourism is a growing sector with great opportunities to diversify demand. In the case of Kvemo Kartli, this potential is even more special. The main topic of the article is the study of wine cellars in the region of Kvemo Kartli. The article discusses the resources and facilities important for the development of wine and agrotourism, the main developing force of this kind of tourism in Kvemo Kartli. This work will study the contributions of the family wineries to the development of the touristic sector. It also serves to popularize Kvemo Kartli as a wine region and a way to form a wine culture. The study will also present the contributions of the Germans colonists in the development of winemaking and preservation of traditions in the Kvemo Kartli region. Qualitative research methods were used in the research process. The survey revealed the positive role of small wineries in the development of tourism in the Kvemo Kartli region, highlighted the current problems of small wineries (which relate to the factors affecting development), the economic benefits of small entrepreneurs, improper representation of wine tourism products on the market and other challenges. Recommendations were formulated in order to eliminate the problems identified. Also, we discussed the government's action plan for the future development of wine tourism in Georgia.

Participation of Vitamin Din Menopause Management Strategies

The health of the population is one of the key factors in economic development and, at the same time, an objective indicator of the quality of life. Public health policy in the world follows the path of large-scale financing of healthy lifestyle projects. The health of women was very relevant, because in a viewpoint of ma-terial and technical progress, an equal role has been assigned to men and women. Menopause and the climacteric state of women is a special issue in the health care of any prosperous European country. It is very important to approach the issue on a large scale, but this requires regional studies. Our interest fell on wom-en with menopause living in Kvemo Kartli. In order to review and further trans-form the data for the Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia, we analyzed the literature on the advisability of using vitamin D as a factor that improves the quality of life of women in the menopausal period. We searched for peer-reviewed new and recent publications in order to write this review. A wide range of biological properties of vitamin D, which is involved in the regulation of many important physiological functions, is described here. The negative impact of vitamin D deficiency not only on the development of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, but also on the increase in the severity of climacteric syndrome is represented. The multiple beneficial effects of vitamin D have led to a detailed planning of the studies that the research team will carry out the next 12 months.

Mashaveras Gora: New investigation of Shulaveri-Shomutepe Culture Neolithic Settlement

Archaeological excavations at Mashaveras Gora (Bolnisi municipality, Kvemo Kartli, Georgia) were carried out in 2020-2021 archaeological season by a Georgian National Museum team. The Mashaveras Gora settlement belongs to the Shulaveri-Shomutepe Neolithic culture. With its location of confluence of two main river Khrami and Mashavera the mound appears to be one of the main settlements of South Caucasus Neolithic life. Discovery of Mashaveras Gora is related to the Soviet farm building. Short period excavation was carried out in 1988 by D. Gogelia. Since that the site was abandoned until now. The 2020-2021 excavation goal was to renew archaeological excavation on the Mashaveras Gora. The results of archaeological investigation gave us opportunity to shed a light on new architectural building tradition, which is quite different from typical Shulaveri-Shomutepe Neolithic architecture. Excavations focused on the north part of the settlement, where was excavated nine trenches, also in the west side of the mound with two new trenches for the stratigraphy of the mound. Neolithic rounded houses with its small storage buildings and several fragments of walls had been documented. Also, significant number of archaeological materials belonging to the neolithic activity. New investigated site provides material on Neolithic society practices in everyday life in the Southern Caucasus, as well as ritualistic concepts and perspectives.

Demographic Issues of Social-Economic Development of Eastern Georgia: Population as a Demographic Potential

The policy of stimulating regional development is based on local potential, one of the main components of which is population: its number, nature of reproduction, structure, and social-economic conditions (employment, standard of living, and so on).The present research aimed to study the issues of Georgia's demographic potential: population dynamics, natural movement, migration, gender and age structure, labour force, and standard of living of the population. The study of the demographic potential of Georgia is a long-term task of the authors, the first geographical object of which is the study area of ​​the present article - eastern Georgia and, in particular, the regions of Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Kvemo Kartli (not including Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, but including self-governing city Rustavi) and Shida Kartli. The research adopts a geographical approach, focusing on a unified vision of the issue, and studies regional differences. The research results outline the demographic situation in the study area and the modern trends that reflect the peculiarities of the demographic potential of eastern Georgia. These include the following: a) the decline in the absolute number of population has slowed down in the last decade due to reduced emigration; b) according to the latest statistics, in eastern Georgia as a whole, natural increase is negative (-0.4 percent), but higher than the national average (-1.1%); c) the process of population ageing in eastern Georgia has been generally outlined, the dynamics of which are different between the regions - in Kvemo Kartli, due to the relatively high natural increase, it is developing relatively slowly than in other regions; d) the share of women in gender structure is reduced (50.9 percent) compared to the country's average rate (52.3 percent), while in Mtskheta-Mtianeti, contrary to the general rule, The share of men exceeds that of women; d) Georgians make up 75 percent of the ethnic structure of the study region, followed by Azerbaijanis (19.7 percent), the principal part of the latter concentrated in Kvemo Kartli, which, in, turn, determines a number of peculiarities of the demographic behaviour of the population in this region; e) a large part of the population of eastern Georgia is mostly employed in traditional, non-commercial and partly commercial agriculture, due to which a higher share of self-employed (41.6 percent) was registered in the study area compared to the average in the country (31.9 percent); f) unemployment (18 percent of the economically active population), low income and low purchasing power remain the main social-economic issues. In the last decade, as in the whole of Georgia, signs of improvement were noted in the social-economic situation in the study area, though the COVID-19 pandemic partially slowed this trend.

Pollution of Kvemo Kartli Region (Georgia) Soils by Heavy Metals

Pollution of Kvemo Kartli Region (Georgia) Soils by Heavy Metals

Unity in diversity\u2014food plants and fungi of Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus

BackgroundThe Republic of Georgia is part of the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot, and human agricultural plant use dates back at least 6000 years. Over the last years, lots of ethnobotanical research on the area has been published. In this paper, we analyze the use of food plants in the 80% of Georgia not occupied by Russian forces. We hypothesized that (1) given the long tradition of plant use, and the isolation under Soviet rule, plant use both based on home gardens and wild harvesting would be more pronounced in Georgia than in the wider region, (2) food plant use knowledge would be widely and equally spread in most of Georgia, (3) there would still be incidence of knowledge loss despite wide plant use, especially in climatically favored agricultural regions in Western and Eastern Georgia.MethodsFrom 2013 to 2019, we interviewed over 380 participants in all regions of Georgia not occupied by Russian forces and recorded over 19,800 mentions of food plants. All interviews were carried out in the participants’ homes and gardens by native speakers of Georgian and its dialects (Imeretian, Rachian, Lechkhumian, Tush, Khevsurian, Psavian, Kakhetian), other Kartvelian languages (Megrelian, Svan) and minority languages (Ossetian, Ude, Azeri, Armenian, Greek).ResultsThe regional division was based primarily on historic provinces of Georgia, which often coincides with the current administrative borders. The total number of taxa, mostly identified to species, including their varieties, was 527. Taxonomically, the difference between two food plant groups—garden versus wild—was strongly pronounced even at family level. The richness of plant families was 65 versus 97 families in garden versus wild plants, respectively, and the difference was highly significant. Other diversity indices also unequivocally pointed to considerably more diverse family composition of wild collected versus garden plants as the differences between all the tested diversity indices appeared to be highly significant.The wide use of leaves for herb pies and lactofermented is of particular interest. Some of the ingredients are toxic in larger quantities, and the participants pointed out that careful preparation was needed. The authors explicitly decided to not give any recipes, given that many of the species are widespread, and compound composition—and with it possible toxic effects—might vary across the distribution range, so that a preparation method that sufficiently reduces toxicity in the Caucasus might not necessary be applicable in other areas.ConclusionsRelationships among the regions in the case of wild food plants show a different and clearer pattern. Adjacent regions cluster together (Kvemo Zemo Racha, and Zemo Imereti; Samegrelo, Guria, Adjara, Lechkhumi and Kvemo and Zemo Svaneti; Meskheti, Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli; Mtianeti, Kakheti, Khevsureti, Tusheti. Like in the case of the garden food plants, species diversity of wild food plants mentioned varied strongly. Climate severity and traditions of the use of wild food plants might play role in this variation. Overall food plant knowledge is widely spread all-across Georgia, and broadly maintained.

Heavy Metal Levels in Milk and Cheese Produced in the Kvemo Kartli Region, Georgia.

Milk and dairy products are among the most important food sectors in Georgia, and milk is considered one of the most essential foods in the human diet according to Georgian food culture. Kvemo Kartli is one of the major regions in Georgia for milk production. This region suffers from heavy metal contamination in soil and water because of the mining industry. This study was conducted to determine the concentrations of cadmium, lead, iron, zinc, copper, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, selenium and molybdenum in milk and cheese and to evaluate whether the concentrations of these elements correspond to the permissible levels of toxic elements in milk and cheese for Georgia and the EU. In total, 195 milk samples and 25 cheese samples (16 from Imeruli cheese and nine from Sulguni cheese) were collected from nine different villages in the Kvemo Kartli region in Georgia: Chapala, Vanati, Bolnisi, Mtskneti, Sabereti, Ratevani, Khidiskuri, Kazreti, Kvemo Bolnisi. The determination of heavy metal in all samples was carried out by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The research results show that the concentration of these elements in most milk samples is fairly constant for all villages and is less than the permissible levels, except for seven samples from the following villages: Kvemo Bolnisi, Bolnisi, Mitskineti and Ratawani, where the concentration of lead in the milk samples was higher than the permissible limits mentioned in the literature, ranging from 0.027 to 1003 mg L−1. As for copper, its concentration in milk in Sabereti and Vanati villages was above the permissible limits according to the EU limit, ranging from 0.42 to 1.28 mg L−1. For cheese samples, the concentration of cadmium, lead, copper, Co and Ni in the two types of cheese was less than the permissible limit according to the laws of Georgia. Finally, the heavy metal concentrations in Imeruli and Sulguni cheese for manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo) zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) were above the permissible limit. Thus, the study results showed that the consumption of milk does not pose a direct and serious threat to the health of consumers. As for the two types of cheese, future studies and continuous monitoring are necessary to assess the cheese content of trace elements and the risk of its consumption to the consumer.

Factors and Components Affecting Dairy Smallholder Farmers and the Local Value Chain— Kvemo Kartli as an Example

Smallholder farmers are the cornerstone of the livestock sector and an essential element in building and developing the local dairy value chain, critical for developing its local economy. In Georgia, and despite the efforts made since independence from the Soviet Union until now, farmers still face many problems that prevent them from participating effectively in developing the dairy value chain, especially heavy metal pollution that afflicts the study region. This research study refers to smallholder farmers’ viewpoints in the Kvemo Kartli region on the dairy production sector and the problems these farmers face. This study also investigates the effect of several factors (ethical factors, traditions, animal welfare, cultural factors, etc.) on the dairy value chain. The convergence model was used in the mixed-method approach’s triangular design as a methodology for this research study. As part of the social data, 140 farmers who produce and sell milk and cheese in the Kvemo Kartli region were interviewed. The results showed the influence of the ethical, cultural, and traditional factors in developing the value chain. The results also showed the problems and difficulties small farmers face in rural areas, on the one hand, and the gap between these farmers and governmental and private organisations on the other hand. These results are compared to those of a previous study, where interviews with experts in Georgia’s dairy production sector were performed.