Press Release
Drought Declaration
August 21, 2000
Tbilisi--U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Kenneth Yalowitz has officially informed Washington that Georgia is suffering from a serious drought that will negatively impact a large portion of the population in the immediate future. The U.S. Embassy’s disaster declaration is the first step required for Georgia to receive additional disaster assistance funding from the U.S. government. An assessment team led by the USAID-funded Save the Children Federation (SCF), and a separate team from the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme, have confirmed that the drought is of exceptional severity. All regions of eastern Georgia—Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, and Samtskhe-Javakheti—are affected by the drought.
The drought has had catastrophic effects on agriculture, in many areas wiping out the entire wheat and sunflower crops. Livestock will be affected because of the low feed and forage supplies. In addition to severe threats to commercial crops and livestock, the water shortages negatively impact family gardens and in the future might also affect the health of the regions’ residents.
The U.S. Embassy is meeting regularly with other foreign governments and international donors to coordinate international drought assistance.