EU Commits €25 million to Armenia for Agriculture and Rural Development

Over the next three years, the European Union and the Austrian Development Agency will provide €25 million to Armenia for budget support to the government to sustain agricultural and rural development (€20 million) and to promote the development of farming cooperatives and value adding chains (€5 million).

On January 23, a ceremony was held in Yerevan to launch the European Neighborhood Program for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD). The Republic of Austria, through the operational unit of the Austrian Development Cooperation, will provide €1 million as technical assistance for the support to farmers groups and value adding chains.

The aim of the funding is to reduce economic and social disparities that continue to prevail in Armenia. Poverty in rural areas continues to remain high due to deep unemployment and lack of livelihoods and income. The improvement of agricultural institutions, strengthening the capacity and performance of farmers associations and cooperatives, and increasing access to affordable food continues to be a great need.

According to a press release issued by the EU Delegation to Armenia, within the framework of the program UNIDO, UNDP and FAO will provide technical support to Armenia’s government in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, local authorities and other stakeholders. UNIDO and UNDP will join efforts to strengthen and establish producer groups and engage them effectively in value chain development. FAO will provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture for institutional development and policy harmonization, as well as in the roll-out of the national agricultural census. Beneficiaries of the program are rural communities, farmers, producer group members, employees in agricultural value chains, and their families.

Taking part in the ceremony was Armenia’s Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Ambassador Traian Hristea, and representing the Austrian Development Agency, Gunther Zimmer, Head of Office for the South Caucasus, including other officials.