From Traceability to Farm Value: Strengthening Livestock Systems in Georgia

National animal identification and traceability systems are a cornerstone of effective animal health management. By providing veterinary authorities with reliable information on where animals are located and how they move, these systems enable rapid responses to disease outbreaks and support targeted prevention and control programs. They also establish the foundation for linking individual animal identities with records on treatments, vaccinations, and diagnostic test results - turning traceability data into a powerful tool for livestock health management.

While these systems are invaluable tools for veterinary authorities, livestock owners often experience them differently. In many countries where such systems are being introduced, farmers mainly see additional administrative work and feel limited ownership of the system. As a result, records may remain incomplete or outdated, reducing the overall effectiveness of the traceability system and limiting its benefits for the livestock sector as a whole.

A Swiss-funded project in Georgia is tackling this challenge by putting farmers at the center of the system. Alongside the development of the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS), the project has introduced a Farm Management System (FMS) designed specifically for small and medium-sized dairy farms - farmers who often lack access to commercial farm management software but stand to gain significantly from better data management.

The FMS connects directly with NAITS, allowing farmers to import animal records seamlessly into their farm-level system. Once imported, farmers can enrich these records with production data,reproductive information, and feeding details. In return, the system generates practical performance indicators that help farmers make informed, data-driven decisions to improve herd productivity and farm profitability. Farmers can also register new animals in the FMS, which are then transferred to NAITS—contributing to more complete and up-to-date national records.

SAFOSO plays a key role in this initiative by providing technical backstopping to the project. Through regular monitoring missions and close collaboration with project partners, SAFOSO supports the development, testing, and rollout of the system. The project currently works with several pilot farms where the FMS has already been introduced. Farmers’ feedback is continuously collected and used to refine the system and develop additional features.

By bridging the needs of veterinary authorities and farmers, this approach strengthens both farm management and national disease control - demonstrating how digital solutions can create value across the entire livestock sector.