With the breakdown of the Soviet Union and loss of traditional markets, the agricultural industry collapsed and the area of cultivated agricultural land fell by almost half. According to 2009 data, the percentage of the population living below the poverty line was one third higher in rural areas than in the cities. In terms of food security, small farmers and people residing in high mountainous regions belong to high-risk groups and are especially sensitive to threat. In the current unstable economic situation, food security is an issue for Georgia.