📋 Tender Overview
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
The project in brief
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. - 2
