Armenia will receive 3.4 million euros from the European Neighborhood Program for Agricultural and Rural Development (ENPARD) as technical support to farmer groups and for improvement of the value adding chain, said John Barker, the attaché for agricultural programs from the EU Delegation to Armenia.

As part of the three-year program that started in January 2015, the EU together with the Austrian Development Agency has earmarked 20 million euro of budget support for the government of Armenia to sustain agricultural and rural development and a further 5 million euros was committed to provide support to the ministry of agriculture to promote the development of farmers’ groups and value adding chains throughout Armenia. The program is being implemented by the UNDP, FAO and UNIDO.

According to Barker, the program will contribute directly to achieving the Eastern Partnership key objective of reducing economic and social disparities because of high unemployment and lack of livelihoods and income, poverty levels in Armenia’s rural areas remain high.

"We want to help Armenian farmers to produce more and better quality produces so that to have easier access to larger markets,' he said.

According to Barker, because of a large number of small and fragmented land plots Armenian farmers need to form new agricultural cooperatives. He said UNDP and UNIDO will assist in the formation of agricultural cooperatives.

"Our main focus will be on production. We know what Armenian farmers produce, but we want agricultural goods to have a bigger added value. This will enable farmers to sell these goods in markets with high solvent demand," he said.

Barker said a pilot part of the program had been successfully implemented in Lori region.

The funds will be provided in three tranches: 6 million euros - in 2015, 7 million euros in 2016 and as much in 2017. The duration of the program is 36 months. It embraces the regions of Shirak, Lori, Gegharkunik, Aragatsotn, Kotayk and Vayots Dzor.

Source - http://www.arka.am