Until now, most fish farms in Georgia have relied on paper notebooks to record information on feedings, health treatments, and production. This labor-intensive approach has limited disease prevention, slowed decision-making, and made traceability difficult. To address these challenges, Georgia is preparing to integrate its aquaculture sector into the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS) and the linked Farm Management System (FMS), modernizing fish health management, strengthening food safety, and supporting access to international markets.
The integration aligns with Georgia’s 2024–2028 Strategy for Sustainable Development of Aquaculture, developed with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and approved by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture (MEPA) in September 2024. The strategy establishes an aquatic animal health action plan, promoting sustainable biosecurity and disease management practices to prevent, detect early, and control aquatic animal diseases. Its primary objective is to expand aquaculture production to meet domestic demand and increase annual output at least fivefold, while improving productivity and resilience.
NAITS, introduced in 2019 with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Austrian Development Agency, already provides an electronic platform for animal identification, data sharing, and traceability in the livestock sector. FAO national team leader Mikheil Sokhadze noted that Georgia is a regional leader in livestock traceability, and expanding NAITS and FMS to aquaculture supports the implementation of the 2024–2028 aquaculture strategy while aligning digital infrastructure with practical private-sector operations.
FAO has supported the process with technical expertise, led by aquaculture specialist Ruth Garcia, who worked closely with stakeholders, deputy ministers, and technical teams from MEPA, the National Food Agency, the Scientific-Research Centre of Agriculture, and the Rural Development Agency. Consultation meetings with the Georgian Fish Farmer’s Association ensured that the needs of private-sector fish farms of all sizes were incorporated into the digitalization process.
Field visits across western and eastern Georgia, including Kobuleti, Poti, Abasha, Gori, Kvareli, Telavi, and Lagodekhi, provided insights into pond farms and fisheries, encompassing different species, production systems, and management practices. These visits highlighted the continued reliance on paper-based management and informed the design of digital modules for NAITS and FMS, covering production, post-harvest handling, and basic fish processing workflows.
The FMS will enable farmers to digitally track production metrics, feed rations, health records, and reproduction, bridging the gap between current practices and modern, data-driven management. Strengthening technical capacity, biosecurity, and digital record-keeping at both farm and institutional levels is critical for sustaining growth, minimizing health and environmental risks, and ensuring that production expansion meets domestic demand, international market standards, and long-term sustainability goals.
Through phased implementation, targeted investments, and continuous monitoring, Georgia aims to transform its aquaculture sector into a digitally managed, resilient, and market-ready industry while supporting sustainable and safe fish production.
