Land Market Development Activity II

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Status: Completed

Full Activity Title: Land Market Development II

Location: Georgia (excluding conflict zones)

Activity Dates: August, 2005 – September, 2010

Source of Funding: USAID

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Project Abstract

Much of Georgia’s most fertile agricultural land suitable for intensive farming remains state-owned. State ownership of these lands has been detrimental for the development of agriculture. Lease agreements do not provide farmers and other investors the level of confidence necessary to make serious investments in the sector. Lack of private ownership limits landowners’ ability to attract private credit resources to develop their farming enterprises. For the development of agricultural sector in the country additional privatization of agricultural land is required.

The overall goals of the project are to complete agricultural land privatization process, develop a properly functioning land market and establish a clear, transparent and user-friendly property registration system.

For achieving the project objectives large scale activities are implemented in all regions of Georgia. In particular, APLR introduces effective and transparent procedures for agricultural land privatization, closely cooperates with the Ministry of Economic Development privatization team and local self-government commissions and provides them with support and advice for strengthening their privatization process management capacities. APLR monitors the process and ensures privatization of both leased and state-owned large land parcels privatization.

Public education campaign on the program, including detailed privatization procedures and land lease issues, is conducted at a national level through publications, leaflets, public meetings, print and broadcast media, and consultations and advice via APLR regional offices.

APLR strengthens administrative, technical and institutional capacity of National Agency of Public Registry and for this purpose transfers cadastral and registry info to the rayon level registry offices, provides advice and recommendation to the NAPR in designing properly functioning registration procedures.

The project also envisions completion of the first stage land reform in Adjara and initial registration of “white spots” areas, which have not been surveyed earlier. APLR prepares cadastral information, maps and other information necessary for registration and organizes public displays for information correction.

Within the scope of the project APLR develops tenure model for the proper management of pasture land; provides advisory support on land policy issues to the governmental agencies and organizes seminars and workshops involving wide groups of stakeholders.

Implementation of the project contributes to the development of land markets and agricultural sector through increased access to credits, ensures establishment of customer oriented property registration system and facilitates improvement of real estate related legislative environment.