EU makes €6mln payment to support rural development in ArmeniaJuly 9, 2015 - 18:36 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - In December 2014, the European Union confirmed financial support with total value of €25 million to the government of Armenia, within the program ENPARD (European Neighborhood Program for Agriculture and Rural Development) Armenia. This program will be implemented over three years, providing €20 million of budget support for the government of Armenia to sustain agricultural and rural development. A further €5 million is being provided to support the Ministry of Agriculture and to promote the development of farmers groups and value adding chains throughout Armenia. The budget support payments will be made over three years, and the 2015 payment of €6 million has just been transferred to the government of Armenia. In confirming the payment, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, H.E. Traian Hristea commented, "I wish to congratulate the government of Armenia, in particular the Ministry of Agriculture, for meeting the general condition related to the agricultural sector over the past year. I understand that further important steps, such as the Mid-Term Review of the Sustainable Agricultural Development Strategy, are currently being undertaken, on the basis of which in a second phase, a new strategy is to be developed for the period 2015-2025. I believe it is important that this process is inclusive, accompanied by the identification of clear objectives, results and indicators and completed in a timely fashion." This support, in line with EU assistance priorities, will contribute directly to achieving the Eastern Partnership key objective of reducing economic and social disparities. Given the high unemployment and lack of livelihoods and income, poverty levels in Armenia remain high, particularly in rural areas. Agriculture and subsistence farming represent a broad-based opportunity for food security and informal employment. Thus, there is a great need for agricultural and rural development through improving agricultural institutions, strengthening the capacity and performance of farmers associations and cooperatives, increasing access to affordable food, and supporting the roll-out of a general agricultural census. All of these areas are being supported through ENPARD Armenia. Within the framework of the program, over €5 million has been committed to UNIDO, UNDP and FAO to provide technical support to the government of Armenia in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, local authorities and other stakeholders. UNIDO and UNDP are working jointly to strengthen and establish producer groups and engage them effectively in value chain development. FAO provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture for institutional development and policy harmonization, as well as 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. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | About 32,000 rally in Yerevan to deman Pashinyan’s resignation About 31,700 people attended an opposition rally on Thursday, May 9 in Yerevan demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Armenian, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister to meet in Almaty Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov will meet in Almaty. Viva-MTS: Tech solutions to modernize infrastructure of border village The border village has been the focus of Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values since 2015. Ucom's fixed network launched in Artashat To mark this occasion, the company has introduced a special offer exclusively for Artashat residents. |