[cid:ded1a0c3-3749-4b30-8b44-0055039bf374] The skills that saved one Georgian woman’s life Innovative cheesemaking provided the income for medical treatment and forged a community leader [cid:38fead81-737c-4b96-aedc-d3a5fdd6e98e] ©FAO/Guram Saqvarelidze For Nino Kavtaradze,the income which she makes using her skills and decades of experience producing dried fruits,jams and distinctive Georgian cheeses has literally meant the difference between sickness and health. Nearly 20 years ago,she explains,“I was diagnosed with a severe disease – cancer,” Nino says. “The sales of dried fruits and tklapi [sheets of dried fruit puree which roll up like leather] was one of the key income sources which supported my health,covering my medical fees.” She spent years undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy. All the while,she says that she concentrated on running her home-based business in the country’s northwestern mountains to keep her mind busy on the day-to-day. This focus and honing her expertise allowed her to play a key role as a Lead Farmer in a project which aims to improve the resilience and economic empowerment of smallholder women dairy farmers. That came about when she met a fellow cheese producer who was running a Farmer Field School,as part of an initiative implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. She asked Nino if she would be interested in doing the same – and if so,could she find 15 women to take part? The determination that had helped her overcome cancer kicked in and she did more than that. Nino found 30 local women dairy farmers who were interested in participating in the FAO Farmer Field School,where farmers learn from each other,with the technical guidance of FAO food technologists,agronomists and veterinarians. The school covers a range of subjects from food safety,animal care and vaccinations to the production of new types of dairy and processed fruit and vegetables,as well as business management and gender equality. Based on the knowledge shared by FAO,the women exchanged experiences on animal management,milk and dairy production,hygiene and modern food safety practices. Nino says that even though she has worked as a dairy farmer for 30 years,she still gained useful new knowledge from the trainings. The basic equipment provided to her by FAO has also boosted production,safety and competitiveness. Nino is especially happy with the FAO-provided grinding mill,which saves her money as she no longer has to buy processed animal feed. “We will not have to buy corn since we have corn fields,and I will somehow manage to purchase wheat and barley. When we grind the grains,feeding our livestock will not be as costly and our profits will increase.” FAO also provided Nino with small dairy production equipment such as a milk pasteurizer,a vacuum sealer and specialized containers. With these,she has taken her cheese production to a whole new level,offering her own brand of Ninoseuli (which translates as “Ninoian”) innovative cheese varieties. “I wanted my cheeses to stand out,” Nino highlights,“This is why I added dried fruits to my products and started creating cheese with dried figs,plums and kiwi.” Another “Ninoian” experiment was making sweet jams with spicy peppers. Nino has taken her cheeses and pepper jams to various exhibitions,where consumers have shown great interest in these new products. “The pepper jam and cheese go well with each other,” says Nino as she recalls her experience at the Unique Georgian Taste. This agromarket,which FAO organizes in Tbilisi and other cities in Georgia through assistance from the European Union and Sweden,supports producers of niche and terroir products. Once Nino’s customers tried the combination,“they liked it and this is how I sold cheese in greater quantities,while those who bought the pepper jam once,returned to buy more.” By partnering with Nino and her fellow Lead Farmers,FAO has helped more than 600 women dairy farmers to produce a range of cheese varieties,from caciotta to halloumi. Many of them have started producing these cheeses commercially. “When a person sets a goal,” says Nino,“they must try their best to achieve it. I did not give up for a single second or think about dying when I had cancer. I am here now because I battled my way through with work,determination and motivation.” With this attitude,Nino continues producing unique and ever more popular “Ninoian” products for the Georgian market and inspiring more and more farmers to follow her example. The story and photos can be found here: https://www.fao.org/newsroom/story/the-skills-that-saved-one-georgian-womans-life/en All feature stories can be accessed here: http://www.fao.org/news/stories-archive/en/ Media outlets are welcome to reproduce the article or use the information contained in it,as well as related photos,provided that FAO and the photographers are given credit. A link back to the original story is also appreciated. 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