Caucasus University
Lecturer
Economics
Business
International Relations
Geopolitics
Other
Tbilisi, Georgia
Abstract
This paper examines the relationship between rural development processes and environmental governance in Georgia, focusing on how policy frameworks translate into practice at the regional and local levels. While rural development and environmental protection are key priorities in Georgia’s national policy agenda, significant gaps remain between formal strategies and their implementation on the ground. Drawing on a combination of policy analysis and empirical observations from selected rural regions, the study explores how natural resource governance, particularly in relation to forests, water resources, and land use, is shaped by institutional capacity, local participation, and socio-economic inequalities. The paper pays particular attention to regional disparities, highlighting how uneven development patterns influence access to resources and the effectiveness of environmental governance mechanisms. The research adopts a political ecology and critical human geography perspective, situating rural development within broader processes of socio-environmental transformation in the South Caucasus. It also considers the role of local communities and civil society actors in shaping governance outcomes, particularly in contexts where institutional frameworks are weak or inconsistently enforced. The findings suggest that rural development policies in Georgia often face structural implementation challenges, including limited coordination between institutions, insufficient local empowerment, and uneven distribution of resources across regions. These dynamics contribute to persistent socio-economic and environmental inequalities, particularly in peripheral rural areas. The paper concludes that more effective rural development in Georgia requires strengthening multi-level governance systems, improving participatory mechanisms, and integrating environmental sustainability more consistently into regional development planning. These insights contribute to broader debates on rural transformation, environmental governance, and socio-spatial inequality in post-Soviet contexts.
Keywords