FAO delivered small agricultural equipment to farmers in 25 settlements in the areas of the two Local Action Groups (LAG) of Tavush region.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) delivered small agricultural equipment to farmers in 25 settlements in the areas of the two Local Action Groups (LAG) of Tavush region – Ijevan and Berd. The support included two-wheel tractors and tillers, lawn rotary mowers, electric knapsack sprayers, a diesel generator set and a welding machine.
The assistance was provided under the “EU Local Empowerment of Actors for Development (LEAD) in Lori and Tavush Regions” project which is funded by the European Union and implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The recent study initiated by FAO within the framework of the project highlighted the need for measures improving the resilience of smallholder farmers in the country, to which this assistance will contribute.
The support is tailored to the farmers’ need, as the list of assistance equipment was developed by the LAGs – long-term rural development hubs of committed local actors formed as part of the same project. The equipment was handed over to the local municipalities for their management and will be used by the local initiative groups to provide agricultural services.
Caption: Ms. Gayane Nasoyan, Assistant FAO Representative in Armenia.
“At the end of 2021, LEAD project commissioned a study to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food value chains in Tavush and Lori regions. The study revealed that the border restrictions, supply chain disruptions, and widespread health issues exacerbated the existing gaps and challenges in the value chains, particularly for smallholder farmers. Those issues made it necessary to take measures to increase the resistance of smallholder farmers. I am pleased that through the LEAD project we have the opportunity to contribute to the solution of these issues by providing agricultural equipment to the farmers of Tavush region,” said Gayane Nasoyan, Assistant FAO Representative in Armenia.
Representatives of the Ministry of Economy of Armenia, Tavush Governor’s Office and Tavush settlements and others also attended the distribution event in Ijevan.
At the event, representatives of the local communities showed great appreciation for the support, which they said is of vital importance for their families.
This initiative is part of the EU LEAD4Lori and Tavush Regions project funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in close cooperation with Armenia’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure. The project also works with the Ministry of Economy.
The project is implemented in Lori and Tavush regions of Armenia as part of the European Union’s LEADER / Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) concept with the following objectives: a) mobilise, capacitate and incentivise local actors to define community needs-driven strategies in Lori and Tavush regions, b) build supporting infrastructure to prioritise, implement and sustain local-grown initiatives in Lori and Tavush regions and c) improve the capacity of the relevant ministries and other bodies and develop policy mechanisms at the national level for successful piloting and sustainability of the LEADER approach in Armenia.
