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RURAL CONSULTANCY AGENCY
Regional Advisory Service
of Samtskhe-Javakheti
Abastumani Road, Agroshop ‘Farmer'
+995 (265) 21 996, +995 (8) 90 461 727
E-mail: office@ras.ge
The Rural Advisory Service (RAS) of Samtskhe-Javakheti was established in February 2007 within the framework of CARE's Sustainable Livelihoods and Regional Planning (SLAR) Project and on the basis of CARE's seven years' work on rural livelihoods in the region. It was registered as a non-profit organisation with a status of a ‘non-commercial legal entity' under the Georgian legislation.
RAS's mission is "to be a sustainable provider of a comprehensive range of affordable, independent advice and information to the rural sector of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region in Georgia".
RAS was officially established by six founders - one representative of a local farmers' association, an owner of a cheese processing business, two heads of municipal administrations, a representative of CARE's SLAR project and a local NGO. The organisation is led by an Executive Board composed of the six founders, and a General Assembly composed of RAS staff, farmers and CARE representatives. In December 2008 the RAS General Assembly had 29 members.
Until December 2008 RAS has provided high quality service to over 5000 farmers, and the RAS-managed input supply shop Farmer in Akhaltsikhe had served over 12,000 customers.
RAS has a team of professionals with extensive experience in community mobilisation, project planning and agriculture extension, and sound knowledge in both new technologies and practices and the specificities of Samtskhe-Javakheti.
