The Biological Farming Association "ELKANA" is a non-governmental Georgian organisation founded by Georgia Green Movement in 1993. As a non-governmental organisation “ELKANA” was registered on October 6, 1994, since 1996 is a member of the International Federation of Organic Movement (IFOAM).
Staff
consists of 19 persons.
Mr. Tamaz Dundua
Executive Director
Collapse
of 70 years old Soviet regime, during which people got used to centralized
management of big Soviet farms, since 1990 resulted in total ruin of
agricultural sector in Georgia. Civil wars and refugee problems had also plaid
an important role. In a state of total disorder, market and investment
structures of farming came to a complete breakdown, equipment and machinery
being almost entirely plundered and out of order. The centralized supply was
ruined and village dwellers were left without food and money. In cities the
situation was similar or even worse. Foreign humanitarian aid provided only
minimal support for the population.
During
this period the Biological Farming Association “ELKANA” was founded in order
to improve economical conditions of small farmers. Founders of the organization
were Georgian Green Movement and 9 peasant farms.
Step
by step situation in Georgia is getting stabilized, however the problem of
Abkhazeti remains unsolved. Besides, the level of unemployment is still very
high and salaries are so low that could not provide minimal livelihood; energy
supply is not stable and still there is a lack of tools conducting adopted
regulations in life.