A unique initiative to create jobs

The Dakishvili family from Jokolo has been growing saffron flowers (saffron crocus) since 2020. The bulbs were kindly donated by Merab Inasaridze from Thomas Schmidt, who has been growing saffron in Georgia for some years. Saffron is grown in only a few regions. This is the first venture to grow saffron flowers in Pankisi Valley.

About 4000 bulbs were planted in spring 2020 in one of the fields used by the Dakishvili family for subsistence farming. From this, a small number of flowers were harvested in 2021 however, this in 2022 a significant harvest was yielded.

The flower is beautiful and releases a wonderful honey-like scent. Each flower offers 3 threads of saffron. The flowers are picked in the morning to remove the threads carefully, then the threads are stored in a cool and dry environment.

The aim of this initiative is to encourage other women from Pankisi Valley to grow saffron and form a cooperative. This will eventually help to create a sufficient amount of saffron to sell and create job opportunities in the future for local women.