How We Helped

SavvY Consulting led a broad engagement and analytical process designed to understand the dynamics of raw material sourcing and the feasibility of structured producer–buyer models.
The team conducted extensive interviews with 25 manufacturing companies across five key processing sectors - fruits and vegetables, nuts and dried fruits, herbs and spices, tea, and honey - to identify constraints, opportunities, and readiness for contract farming. Using a structured assessment framework approved by the donor, SavvY mapped existing procurement systems, analyzed barriers to formal cooperation, and evaluated firms’ interest in co-developing structured sourcing models.
The project also facilitated targeted consultations with shortlisted enterprises to refine their business concepts, align them with project objectives, and explore practical ways to integrate smallholder farmers. By maintaining a participatory, iterative process, SavvY ensured that each proposed collaboration model was realistic, scalable, and grounded in sector realities.
Complementary interviews with farmers provided an essential perspective on market stability and sales security, confirming strong interest in long-term buyer partnerships. The alignment of both farmer and manufacturer priorities laid the foundation for designing viable contract farming interventions tailored to the Georgian context.

Impact and Potential

The project generated a comprehensive, evidence-based overview of Georgia’s contract farming landscape, uncovering both structural gaps and strategic entry points. It identified specific manufacturers ready to pioneer structured producer-buyer partnerships and established a framework for developing sector-driven cooperation models.
Findings revealed a growing awareness and willingness among agri-food processors to transition from informal procurement to more predictable, partnership-based systems. At the same time, the analysis highlighted systemic challenges - including low farmer capacity, weak infrastructure, and limited trust - that need to be addressed to unlock large-scale adoption.
By bridging insights from both sides of the value chain, SavvY’s intervention set the stage for future co-creation of business models that improve raw material quality, reduce procurement risks, and enhance market access for smallholders. The initiative’s long-term potential lies in its capacity to catalyze a cultural shift toward cooperative sourcing, encourage private investment in rural supply chains, and ultimately strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of Georgia’s agri-food sector.