4.2 Implementation of the Study
4.2.3 Systematizing Expert Interviews
Since two of the three focus group discussions were composed of agri-food producers, data could mainly be collected on the production stage of the value chain. For this reason – and as one aim of the expert interviews was to fill the gaps of the preceding study phase – the potential experts for the expert interviews should provide more detailed information on the last stages of the agri-food chain, such as final sale and consumption, which are also the essential chain stages with regard to the research questions.
Based on this aim, a purposive sampling was employed. Also for this sampling, the contacts established during the exploratory study were of great help, on the one hand to get in touch with some experts via these contacts and on the other hand some of the people contacted during the pre-study could be considered experts themselves.
This leads to the question of who is considered to be an expert in the study at hand. Various definitions of the term “expert” exist, for example for Gläser and Laudel (2010, p. 12), an expert is “a source of specific knowledge on a social situation”. However, this is a very broad
66 definition. In this study the definition of Bogner et al. (2014, p. 13) is followed, who describe an expert as a person who not only has knowledge on a specific issue, but whose knowledge and assessments also have influence on the framework for action of others.
In this study, this included people involved in development projects in the Kazbegi region (e.g. representatives of ENPARD) or representatives of organizations involved in the field of rural and agricultural development in Georgia. In addition, representatives of the tourism sector were considered experts if they not only had a specific knowledge on the tourism sector but also had influence on the framework for action of other actors. In this study, representatives of the Rooms Hotel and Zeta Camp (see description below) were considered experts due to their likely influence on other actors of the tourism sector in the Kazbegi region. Being the biggest hotel in the region, the Rooms Hotel has a strong influence on decisions of other tourism actors in the region, as the researcher was also told during the pre-study. Zeta Camp, or rather the owner of the camp, acts as a pioneer for other actors of the tourism sector in Juta and might thus provide orientation for others, which, according to Bogner et al. (2014, p. 14), is also a characteristic of expert knowledge.
Table 5 below includes the type of experts who were already identified as potential interview partners for the expert interviews after the pre-study. The right column contains the stage of the value chain on which data should be gathered.
Table 5: Potential interviewees for the expert interviews46
Potential interview partners Stage of the agri-food chain
Experts of development organizations or projects in Tbilisi: e.g.
People in Need, Georgian Farmers’ Association, ENPARD Whole agri-food chain Bigger hotels in the region: e.g. owners or managers of the
Rooms Hotel, a new hotel in Sno, Zeta Camp, a hotel in Juta and others
Final sale, consumption
Supermarket chains in Tbilisi: e.g. representatives of Carrefour
and Goodwill Final sale, consumption
Source: Own compilation.
67 The final selection of the interviewees for the expert interviews depended on three factors:
information gaps that still had to be filled along the agri-food chain in order to answer the research questions after the focus group discussions,
relevant topics that arose in the course of the focus group discussions,
the availability of the potential interview partners and the English language skills of the experts.47
Almost all experts that the researcher already had in mind after the pre-study could be convinced to become interview partners. Additional people to be interviewed as experts were recommended by the Georgian project partner. Finally, the organizations and experts depicted in table 6 were selected for the interviews.
Table 6: Interviewed experts48
Organization49 Position of the expert50 Abbre-
viation
Georgian Farmers’ Association (GFA) President E1
Agricultural Cooperatives Development Agency
(ACDA) Head E2
Elkana Rural Tourism Coordinator E3
People in Need (PIN): implementing LEADER Project Manager Local Action Group (LAG) Kazbegi E4 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations in Georgia: capacity building for the Ministry of Agriculture (FAO 1)
National Project Manager E5 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations in Georgia: capacity building for the ACDA (FAO 2)
National Consultant on Farmer
Organizations E6
Caucascert Director E7
Evoluxer: capacity building to ACDA Agribusiness expert E8
Rooms Hotel General Manager H1
Zeta Camp Owner GH1
Goodwill Head of Quality Department S1
Source: Own compilation.
47 As the translation of interviews leads to a more difficult interview situation (through interruptions etc.) and the
translation is also costly, it was decided to implement the expert interviews – as far as possible, with some exceptions – in English language, so that the researcher herself was in the position to conduct the interviews.
48 The parts of the table which are shaded in grey indicate the organizations which are involved in the
implementation of ENPARD.
49 This also includes companies and projects.
50 Though here the position is indicated, in the following, in most of the cases the experts, independent of their
68 Description of the experts’ organizations
In the following paragraphs, a brief description of the experts’ organizations is provided. Firstly, the organizations which are mainly active in the field of agriculture and were expected to provide information on the whole agri-food chain are presented. Then, companies from the tourism sector and a supermarket are presented, which were selected to deliver data on the stage of final sale and consumption of the agri-food chain. It would have been good to conduct additional interviews related to the stage of final sale and consumption directly with tourists. However, this would have gone beyond the scope of this study and was not possible for financial reasons and time constraints.
Georgian Farmers’ Association
The Georgian Farmers’ Association (GFA) was founded in 2012 and since then has promoted the rights of Georgian farmers. The objective is to link farmers to markets and support them in marketing their products. GFA mainly targets small-scale agri-food producers as well as farmers involved in cooperatives. The association also promotes the importance of farmers in order to improve the image of farmers in Georgia. It is an umbrella organization which in 2016 had 1,600 members in nine Georgian regions. GFA brings together different stakeholders of the agricultural sector, and links private sector needs and government support. Furthermore, farmers are supported with information, market research and monthly reports. GFA cooperates closely with the Agricultural Cooperatives Development Agency as well as with development organizations.51 The interviewed expert was the chairwoman of the GFA, who has been selected
due to her profound knowledge of farmers’ needs throughout Georgia.
Agricultural Cooperatives Development Agency
In 2013 the Law of Georgia on Agricultural Cooperatives was put into practice. In the framework of this law the Legal Entity of Public Law Agency for the Development of Agricultural Cooperatives (ACDA) (which is under control of the Ministry of Agriculture) has also been established. The main objective of the ACDA is to support the development of agricultural cooperatives in Georgia. This is achieved through grants and by monitoring the status of agricultural cooperatives based on certain rules. In addition, it also develops state support projects in order to contribute to the sustainable development of Georgian agricultural cooperatives. In the case of violations of the requirements, the ACDA may also terminate the status of a cooperative. A further objective of the agency is to raise awareness of the benefits of cooperation among rural inhabitants.
The overall objective of the ACDA is to increase the productivity and effectiveness of agricultural production and to contribute to the development of rural areas through the promotion of cooperatives. The ACDA supports the preparation of proposals for agricultural
51 Sources: http://enpard.ge/en/georgian-farmers-association/; https://www.facebook.com/gfa.com.ge; both pages
69 cooperatives, and also supports capacity building via trainings and offers advice with regard to various issues concerning the establishment and management of cooperatives. Furthermore, the agency organizes events and workshops. According to the homepage of the ACDA, there are currently 1,206 agricultural cooperatives listed in Georgia, out of which 72 are located in Mtskheta-Mtianeti, which the Kazbegi region also belongs to.52 For this study, the head of the ACDA has been interviewed.
Elkana
The Biological Farming Association Elkana is an NGO which focuses on the development of organic farming. It also aims to contribute to the protection of the environment and the improvement of the socio-economic conditions of rural populations. Projects are mainly implemented in the field of rural development, ranging from agriculture to rural tourism and the conservation of biodiversity. Elkana also provides training on sustainable organic farming and extension and supports agricultural cooperation and farmer groups. It also supports the commercialization of small-scale agri-food producers and helps to develop and promote agri- food products. Within the framework of rural tourism development, it also tries to increase awareness of organic and traditional food. In 2016 Elkana worked with 1,000 farmers in Georgia (Elkana 2016).53
Elkana is an implementing partner of People in Need in the framework of the ENPARD program, which is implemented in the Kazbegi region. Among other roles, the organization was responsible for the assessment of the agricultural opportunities in the Kazbegi region (Local Action Group Kazbegi 2016, p. 8). Thus, it was expected that useful information on the agricultural sector could be provided by the selected expert, who is also a rural tourism coordinator of the organization.
Other experts who were also interviewed in the course of this study represent organizations who are involved in ENPARD, through which the LEADER approach is implemented in the Kazbegi region (see chapters 2.4, 2.5. and 3.2.1). Among them are People in Need, FAO Georgia and Evoluxer (see the following paragraphs).
People in Need
People in Need (PIN) is a non-profit NGO from the Czech Republic, which was founded in 1992. It is a development organization which raised more than 80,000 Euro from different donors such as the Czech Republic and UN agencies (in 2017) and has around 1,100 employees worldwide. PIN started working in Georgia in 2006, and in 2017 it spent around 5% of its budget there. Its main focus there is to reduce poverty in rural areas. The organization supports small-scale subsistence farmers, and also civil society development and inclusion. In the
52 Sources: http://enpard.ge/en/agricultural-cooperatives-development-agency-acda/;
http://acda.gov.ge/index.php/eng/static/79; both pages checked on March 12, 2019; Interview with the head of the ACDA in February 2016.
70 framework of ENPARD, PIN implements the LEADER approach in the Kazbegi region through the establishment of a Local Action Group (LAG). Through the LAG it brings together the local government, farmers, entrepreneurs and other inhabitants of the region in order to work jointly on the socio-economic development of the region. In Kazbegi, PIN also conducts research and supports capacity building of the local stakeholders. The LAG has developed a development strategy for the Kazbegi region from 2016 to 2020 (Local Action Group Kazbegi 2016).54 The interviewed expert is the project manager of the Local Action Group Kazbegi. The person has been selected as an expert due to the profound knowledge of the socio-economic situation and particularities of the Kazbegi region. The expert additionally has an in-depth knowledge of agricultural value chains and related bottlenecks.
FAO Georgia
The main aim of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is to defeat hunger in the world. In Georgia, FAO has a presence in Tbilisi since 2004, with currently 18 employees. The main aim of the FAO in Georgia is to promote food security. To this end the FAO in Georgia assists the Government of Georgia to achieve its objectives in the field of institutional development, regional and sectoral development, value chain development, as well as with regard to food safety, veterinary and environmental issues.
FAO is also involved in the implementation of ENPARD in Georgia and provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia. This includes supporting the implementation of the Strategy for Agricultural Development in Georgia 2015-2020 (Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia 2015) and the Rural Development Strategy of Georgia 2017-2020 (Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia 2017) (see chapter 2.2) as well as support in the area of farmer cooperation.55
Two experts of FAO Georgia who are involved in the ENPARD project were interviewed in the framework of the current study. One of them was selected as an expert before the study. The other person was met by chance when the researcher was onsite at the premises of FAO in Tbilisi, and it was decided to interview him as well. Due to their in-depth knowledge on food security, the work of the Ministry of Agriculture in Georgia, and topics related to rural development and agricultural cooperatives, both people seemed to be suitable experts for this study.
Evoluxer
Evoluxer is a consulting company from Spain which is also involved in the implementation of ENPARD. The company specializes in project management and implementation and mainly
54 Sources: http://pin.ge/; http://pin.ge/?page_id=147&parent_id=140; http://www.kazbegilag.ge/en;
http://www.kazbegilag.ge/en/ourwork; https://www.clovekvtisni.cz/en/who-we-are/finance-management; all pages checked on March 12, 2019.
55 Sources: http://www.fao.org/about/en/; http://www.fao.org/georgia/fao-in-georgia/en/; http://enpard.ge/en/fao/;
71 supports public administration in applying European standards and with regard to adapting to the process of European integration. In Georgia, Evoluxer provides capacity building to the Agricultural Cooperatives Development Agency (ACDA). Among others, the aim is to develop the structure of the ACDA in line with organizational structures of similar but more developed organizations in Europe. Besides training staff members of the ACDA, guidelines and handbooks for farmer cooperation are also developed.56 The interviewed expert has profound
knowledge of agribusiness and it was also expected that the interviewee could provide an outside view on the development of the ACDA and the situation of farmer cooperation in Georgia.
Caucascert
Caucascert Ltd was founded in 2005 and is the first organic certification company of Georgia. It aims to support the development of an organic market in Georgia and supports the development of organic agriculture in Georgia, as well as the exportation of organic agricultural products from Georgia to the European Union and Switzerland. Caucascert is responsible for the inspection and certification of organic products. In July 2018, 68 operators involved in organic production or processing were certified or were in transition from conventional to organic operations.57 In cases where producers do not adhere to the agreed standards, Caucascert is also able to withdraw certificates. Caucascert also is accredited according to ISO- 17065 by the German accreditation body DAkkS, and it is included in the list of third-country equivalent organic certification agencies. Besides providing the actual certification, Caucascert is involved in the development of standards and in awareness raising activities with regard to organic agriculture.58
The director of this company has been selected due to broad experience in the field of organic certification and knowledge about the situation of organic production in Georgia, which could also be relevant with regard to the development of linkages between the agri-food chain actors and buyers from the tourism sector in the Kazbegi region.59
Rooms Hotel
Rooms Hotel is an independent brand for lifestyle and design hotels in Georgia and focuses on attracting young international travelers. Two hotels and one hostel of the brand are located in Tbilisi (Rooms Hotel Tbilisi, Stamba Hotel and Fabrika Hostel) and one is located in Stepantsminda (Rooms Hotel Kazbegi). The luxury hotel Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, with around 150 employees, opened in 2012 and offers 155 rooms with rates ranging from approximately 120 to 240 USD per night. It is equipped with a swimming pool and a casino, and offers various activities to its guests (see also chapter 2.5). Founded by the Georgian casino entrepreneur
56 Source: http://enpard.ge/en/evoluxer/; checked on March 12, 2019.
57 Source: http://caucascert.ge/files/ProdEN170718.pdf; checked on March 12, 2019. 58 Source: http://caucascert.ge/en/about-us; checked on March 12, 2019.
72 Temur Ugulava, from 2012 to 2017 Rooms Hotel Kazbegi has been led by a General Manager, who was interviewed for this study.60 The aim was to find out more about the tourism sector in general in the Kazbegi region, as well about the specific demands of a luxury hotel and its guests and potential ways for cooperating with local inhabitants in the region.
Zeta Camp
Zeta Camp was opened in 2008 as a camp site above the village Juta at the bottom of the Chaukhi mountains. It was the first mountain camp site in Georgia and is open from March to October. Zeta Camp offers tents and rooms as well as a café and a bar. Besides the opportunities for hiking, various other activities for visitors are organized, such as horse riding, climbing, and bicycle or skiing tours. Zeta Camp was founded by a woman whose father is from the village Juta. She was awarded the “The Business of the Year” title in 2016 with Zeta Camp.61 The
interviewee, who is the founder and director, was not only selected due to her knowledge on Georgian mountain tourism and the Kazbegi region, but also due to her experience in implementing entrepreneurial activities in Georgia.
Goodwill
Goodwill is the first Georgian hypermarket chain. Besides offering Georgian products, it imports food and non-food products from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Bulgaria and Ukraine and has 300 corporate clients. It is famous for its meat products and confectionery and provides catering services. Around 250 products for gastronomy are manufactured by Goodwill itself. Besides retail shops in Batumi and Tbilisi, it also offers an online shopping service.62 For the current study, the head of the quality department of Goodwill in Tbilisi was interviewed. The aim of the interview was to gather data on the requirements with regard to agri-food products, as well as on the demand for agricultural products from the Georgian population.
Interview situations
The expert interviews were implemented in Tbilisi in February 2016. Apart from the interviews with the head of the ACDA and the head of the quality department of Goodwill, all interviews were conducted in English language by the researcher herself. The two other interviews were implemented with the help of the Georgian project partner. In the case of the interview with the