REC Caucasus Armenia hosts roundtable on agro-biodiversity

PanARMENIAN.Net - REC Caucasus Armenia hosted the round table discussion within the framework of the regional project “Identification and implementation of adaptation response to Climate Change impact for Conservation and Sustainable use of agro-biodiversity in arid and semi-arid ecosystems of South Caucasus”, which was attended by Nune Harutyunyan and Sophiko Akhobadze (RECC Directors), Marion Hohn (RECC Senior Advisor), Dshkhuhi Sahakyan (Agrobiodiversity project Team leader), Georgi Arzumanyan (UNDP Armenia) and the project national team of experts.

According to a press release, an overall mission of the meeting was to meet with Agro-biodiversity project national team of expert and review progress towards implementation of Agro-biodiversity and Climate change regional project in vulnerable pilot communities of Vayots Dzor and Ararat regions.

Round table discussion covered wide range of issues raised by experts, such as selection criteria of species in compliance with particular site in each region in line with UNCBD, the process of elaboration and development of vulnerability profile by Darko Znaor (Agro-biodiversity project international expert). Various figures, data and information provided during the project implementation have also been represented and clarified. The meeting enabled environment for an interactive discussion among attendees and created open dialogue for discussion of project further tendency and steps, especially an emphasis was put on the final document of the project to be prepared in national languages as well to be presented to local municipalities for approval and confirmation. It was mutually agreed that countries will take on activities matching project requirements on behalf of the local communities’ interests and benefits.

Wide scale of activities conducted in vulnerable pilot communities of Vayots Dzor and Ararat regions were represented and reviewed by expert team, progress towards achievement of the project specific objectives were analyzed and positive impact of the project was recognized. The next steps of the project cycle, measureable results were also reviewed, which covers development of modules and trainings program and conduction of capacity building trainings in pilot communities.