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PRESS RELEASE
United Nations Development Programme / Armenia
14 Petros Adamyan St., Yerevan 0010
Contact: Mr. Hovhannes Sarajyan, Communications Associate
Tel: +37410 566 073
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.undp.am
The needs of local communities in the focus of UNDP and Fruitfull
Armenia
Yerevan, 12 May 2012 - The level of human deprivation in rural
communities of Armenia is higher than in urban areas mainly due to the
lack of access to economic opportunities and poor quality of public
services, such as healthcare, education and social protection. UNDP's
experience worldwide and in Armenia over the past 20 years suggests
that poverty is a complex and multidimensional phenomena, which is
context specific and addressing it requires concerted and
comprehensive efforts across all levels of government and all sectors
of economy. A home grown and effective approach that was spearheaded
by UNDP in an attempt to improve people's wellbeing and lift them from
poverty is the Integrated Community Development approach. Communities'
needs, challenges and development opportunities are best addressed
when the intervention is holistic, focusing on the three pillars of
sustainable development (e.g. social, economic and environmental) and
fostering decentralization, good local governance and democracy.
Agricultural activities are the main source of employment and income
generation for the residents of Baghramyan, Arevadasht, Artamet and
Myasnikyan rural communities of Baghramyan sub-region (hereinafter,
micro-region) in Armavir region. The poor conditions of the irrigation
and water supply networks, the lack of agricultural equipment and the
obsolete machinery, as well as the lack of knowledge about new
agricultural technologies are the underlying reasons behind the low
level of agricultural productivity and high level of poverty in the
micro-region.
During the recent years large-scale investments have been made by
Fruitfull Armenia in this region in the fields of vineyards-grapes
growing, including orchards for vegetables and fruits, water
reservoirs, drip irrigation and modern cultivation methods, which,
overall, positively impacted on the socio-economic growth in the
micro-region.
Capitalizing on the successful past experience of UNDP and the
Fruitful Armenia in local development, taking stock of the tangible
results achieved and recognizing the power of partnerships for
advancing sustainable development agenda, today Ms. Dafina Gercheva,
UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, and
Mr. Eduardo Eurnekian, a prominent Argentinean-Armenian businessman,
signed an agreement to support agricultural and micro-business
activities in Baghramyan, Arevadasht, Artamet and Myasnikyan
communities. This partnership is aiming at promoting the economic
revitalization of the micro-region and improving the living standards
of the population. The parties firmly believe that the shared value is
the foundation of a real partnership!
"UNDP's best practices and experience across the world suggest that
promoting sustainable development requires an integrated approach
which targets social, economic and environmental pillars of
development. We are well positioned to proceed rapidly with the
implementation of integrated development in these communities, as it
has helped to rehabilitate social and economic infrastructure and
generate sustainable income in more than 150 rural and urban
communities across the country. This approach involves several
communities working together in a cluster, and focusing on the
holistic approach to development, i.e. infrastructure rehabilitation,
income generation, institutional capacity development, good
governance, and environmental protection," said Dafina Gercheva, UN
RC/UNDP RR.
Within the framework of "Armenian Village Revival: A Drive for
Employment and Income Generation" project, UNDP Armenia aims to create
farmers' associations, improve the economic rural infrastructure as a
key element for rural poverty alleviation, establish micro food
processing facilities, and return of non-cultivated arable land into
the sowing cycle through distribution and planting of quality seeds
and seedlings.
Based on the participatory planning approach, UNDP Armenia will
support the four communities to develop their Strategic Community
Development Plans - a tool to prioritize local community
needs. Moreover, an environmental impact assessment will be conducted
in the region to gauge the situation and prevent from environmental
damages that agricultural and agro-processing activities may cause.
The total cost of the project is USD 230,000 from which Fruitfull
Armenia's share is USD 204,000.
***
UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build
nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of
growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground
in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and
local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.
UNDP in Armenia has been established in March 1993 and supports the
government to reach national development priorities and the Millennium
Development Goals by 2015.
United Nations Development Programme / Armenia
14 Petros Adamyan St., Yerevan 0010
Contact: Mr. Hovhannes Sarajyan, Communications Associate
Tel: +37410 566 073
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.undp.am
The needs of local communities in the focus of UNDP and Fruitfull
Armenia
Yerevan, 12 May 2012 - The level of human deprivation in rural
communities of Armenia is higher than in urban areas mainly due to the
lack of access to economic opportunities and poor quality of public
services, such as healthcare, education and social protection. UNDP's
experience worldwide and in Armenia over the past 20 years suggests
that poverty is a complex and multidimensional phenomena, which is
context specific and addressing it requires concerted and
comprehensive efforts across all levels of government and all sectors
of economy. A home grown and effective approach that was spearheaded
by UNDP in an attempt to improve people's wellbeing and lift them from
poverty is the Integrated Community Development approach. Communities'
needs, challenges and development opportunities are best addressed
when the intervention is holistic, focusing on the three pillars of
sustainable development (e.g. social, economic and environmental) and
fostering decentralization, good local governance and democracy.
Agricultural activities are the main source of employment and income
generation for the residents of Baghramyan, Arevadasht, Artamet and
Myasnikyan rural communities of Baghramyan sub-region (hereinafter,
micro-region) in Armavir region. The poor conditions of the irrigation
and water supply networks, the lack of agricultural equipment and the
obsolete machinery, as well as the lack of knowledge about new
agricultural technologies are the underlying reasons behind the low
level of agricultural productivity and high level of poverty in the
micro-region.
During the recent years large-scale investments have been made by
Fruitfull Armenia in this region in the fields of vineyards-grapes
growing, including orchards for vegetables and fruits, water
reservoirs, drip irrigation and modern cultivation methods, which,
overall, positively impacted on the socio-economic growth in the
micro-region.
Capitalizing on the successful past experience of UNDP and the
Fruitful Armenia in local development, taking stock of the tangible
results achieved and recognizing the power of partnerships for
advancing sustainable development agenda, today Ms. Dafina Gercheva,
UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, and
Mr. Eduardo Eurnekian, a prominent Argentinean-Armenian businessman,
signed an agreement to support agricultural and micro-business
activities in Baghramyan, Arevadasht, Artamet and Myasnikyan
communities. This partnership is aiming at promoting the economic
revitalization of the micro-region and improving the living standards
of the population. The parties firmly believe that the shared value is
the foundation of a real partnership!
"UNDP's best practices and experience across the world suggest that
promoting sustainable development requires an integrated approach
which targets social, economic and environmental pillars of
development. We are well positioned to proceed rapidly with the
implementation of integrated development in these communities, as it
has helped to rehabilitate social and economic infrastructure and
generate sustainable income in more than 150 rural and urban
communities across the country. This approach involves several
communities working together in a cluster, and focusing on the
holistic approach to development, i.e. infrastructure rehabilitation,
income generation, institutional capacity development, good
governance, and environmental protection," said Dafina Gercheva, UN
RC/UNDP RR.
Within the framework of "Armenian Village Revival: A Drive for
Employment and Income Generation" project, UNDP Armenia aims to create
farmers' associations, improve the economic rural infrastructure as a
key element for rural poverty alleviation, establish micro food
processing facilities, and return of non-cultivated arable land into
the sowing cycle through distribution and planting of quality seeds
and seedlings.
Based on the participatory planning approach, UNDP Armenia will
support the four communities to develop their Strategic Community
Development Plans - a tool to prioritize local community
needs. Moreover, an environmental impact assessment will be conducted
in the region to gauge the situation and prevent from environmental
damages that agricultural and agro-processing activities may cause.
The total cost of the project is USD 230,000 from which Fruitfull
Armenia's share is USD 204,000.
***
UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build
nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of
growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground
in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and
local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.
UNDP in Armenia has been established in March 1993 and supports the
government to reach national development priorities and the Millennium
Development Goals by 2015.