Spring 2026 FRE Seminar Series
All Seminars in the Spring 2026 Seminar Series will take place at 10:30 A.M., EST on the scheduled date in McCarty Hall A 1151 unless otherwise noted. Zoom Option Available. To request recording, please email alenarene@ufl.edu
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Thursday January 22nd - Dr. Ketevan Gachechiladze
Biosketch
Ketevan Gachechiladze is a senior agribusiness and development professional with over ten years of experience in agricultural economics, applied data analysis, and financial and institutional management. She currently serves as Director of the Georgian Center for Agribusiness Development (GCAD), where she leads national and regional initiatives focused on agribusiness development, agricultural markets, rural economic growth, and institutional capacity building. Her work integrates applied economic research, agricultural statistics, and financial analysis to support evidence-based decision-making in agriculture and rural development. She has extensive experience managing and coordinating large-scale international projects funded by the European Union, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), FAO, and the United States Agency for International Development, (USAID) working closely with public institutions, universities, and international partners.
Presentation:
"Agricultural Statistics in Georgia (Tbilisi): A Hidden Success Story"
Overview of the Talk:
Over the past two decades, Georgia has quietly emerged as a regional outlier in the quality, transparency, and usability of agricultural statistics. In a sub-region often characterized by fragmented data systems, political constraints, and limited statistical credibility, Georgia has made measurable progress in aligning its agricultural statistical frameworks with international standards and best practices. This talk examines how and why this progress occurred, focusing on the interaction between public institutions, private-sector actors, and international partners. Rather than presenting Georgia as a “finished success story,” the discussion treats it as a practical case study in institutional development, highlighting both achievements and remaining challenges. Key questions addressed in the talk include:
- What institutional and technical factors contributed to improvements in agricultural statistics in Georgia?
- How did collaboration with international partners — including USDA/FAS and U.S. universities — shape national capacity building and methodological reforms?
- Where does Georgia stand today in terms of data quality, sustainability, and policy relevance?
- What are the remaining constraints and reform priorities?
- What are the opportunities for applied research, academic collaboration, and policy-oriented analysis?
- What lessons from Georgia’s experience may be relevant for other small and transition economies in Eastern Europe and beyond?
The presentation situates Georgia’s experience within broader debates on effectiveness, accountability, and real-world impact of international development and research programs. It offers an evidence-based discussion grounded in practice, rather than theory alone.