EU Green Agriculture Program Worth Around 13 Million Euros Is Being Implemented in Armenia
YEREVAN, April 2. /ARKA/. The EU Green Agriculture Program (EU-GAIA) with a budget of over 13 million euros is being implemented in Armenia.
Program Manager Pascal Bokkers said at an international conference on Wednesday that Armenia has seen an increase in commercial agriculture in recent years. In response to a clarifying question from ARKA news agency about the program, Bokkers said that it started in 2019 and will end in May 2025.
“The EU funding for the grant program amounted to 9.7 million euros, with another 3.6 million euros coming from the Austrian government,” Bokkers said.
He also reported that over the past year, 80 farmers from Nagorno-Karabakh who settled in Armenia have received support. "There is a need for modern technologies in agriculture, although there have been major changes in this area since my first visit to Armenia in 2004," Bokkers noted.
According to him, there was a limited number of products on store shelves back then, but now the range is wide. Bokkers expressed confidence that the agricultural sector in Armenia will continue to develop in the future.
"Armenia is interested in green production, environmentally friendly production methods, which will only ensure growth in the future. There is potential in the agricultural sector in Armenia. It is necessary to realize that agriculture provides the bulk of economic growth, but Armenia must be more independent in this regard," Bokkers said.
Deputy Minister of Economy of Armenia Arman Khojoyan, in turn, stated that it is impossible to achieve sustainability in agriculture without the use of advanced tools and taking into account the best practices of a number of developed countries, adding that Armenia intends to develop "green" agriculture.
The EU-GAIA Green Agriculture Program is implemented in Armenia with the support of the EU Delegation to Armenia, the Austrian Development Agency, the RA Ministry of Economy, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the National Agrarian University of Armenia.
The main goal of the EU-GAIA program is to increase the efficiency of agriculture in Armenia without damaging environmental resources and using innovative solutions, improving policy and institutional approaches.
The program covers more than 200 beneficiaries throughout Armenia, engaged in the cultivation of various crops (mainly berries, fruits, vegetables), the development of beekeeping, etc.
The program provided comprehensive, mainly technical support to organic and sustainable agriculture. The beneficiaries also had the opportunity to participate in international exhibitions, gain new experience and knowledge. -0-
