On June 24, 2019, Association Rural Development for Future Georgia (RDFG) organized an opening of the EU supported RDFG youth camp for the members of the RDFG Young Farmers Centers (YFC) aiming to increase knowledge in agriculture field from theory and practice, also, to emphasize the importance of the vocational education as a career choice for youth. Within the youth camp, the members of the Young Farmers Centers (YFC) will have an opportunity to attend the training sessions about veterinary, viniculture, bee-keeping and fruit-vegetables processing for three days, as well as receive the information about the benefits of the vocational education. The event is hosted by the Vocational College AISI located in Kachreti, Kakheti.  The event was attended by Malkhaz Aslamazishvili, the head of the Vocational College AISI, Nelly Revazishvili, RDFG Rural Development Project Manager, and Revaz Javelidze, RDFG Youth Engagement Team Leader.

Within the opening event of the RDFG Youth Camp, the opening speeches were delivered by Nelly Revazishvili, RDFG Rural Development Project Manager and Malkhaz Aslamazishvili, the head of the Vocational College AISI. They have spoken about VET and its priorities, also, about the agriculture field and the importance of its development in Georgia. Malkhaz Aslamazishvili has also presented the professions the Vocational College AISI offers to the members of the RDFG Youth Camp. Then, Revaz Javelidze, RDFG Youth Engagement Team Leader, conducted the training session about entrepreneurship, innovation, modern technologies and startups which has become very much popular in Georgia recently.

Within the Youth Camp, RDFG has selected thirty members of the Young Farmers Centers (10 YFC, 3 members from each of them) who had been attending the YFC activities for several months fully. In the framework of the Youth Camp, the trainings for youth about the different fields of agriculture, the huge potential of vocational education in the country and concrete occupations VET collages can offer, will be held by the VET college representatives. Besides this, the participants will also attend other Youth Camp activities, meet people with different interests and experiences, and establish new contacts.

The Young Famers Centers (YFC) is an approach of RDFG, that brings together school children from rural communities to demonstrate the benefits of modern agriculture as a source of livelihood security in their local communities and an alternative to migration to urban areas. YFC teaches advocacy, civic participation, leadership skills, and agricultural innovation so youth can revitalize their communities’ civic and economic future. Young Farmers Centers also participate in RDFG demonstration plots and learn entrepreneurial skills.

At this time, RDFG has Young Farmers Centers in 10 schools of Kvemo Kartli that unites about 5 hundred youth. YFC students try to be actively involved in solving their community problems and other agricultural activities. RDFG YFC’s component is being implemented within the ongoing EU-funded project “Rural Development for Sustainable Growth in the Tetritskaro Municipality”.

The EU-funded project “Rural Development for Sustainable Growth in the Tetritskaro Municipality” is implemented by EU partner organization, RDFG. The project aims to improve the quality of life in the Tetritskaro municipality through the introduction of innovative social-economic models and engagement of local private and public sectors in the decision making. RDFG is partnering with the Agro-Technology Association and the Lithuanian Local Action Groups Network to carry out the action.