“Platform for Sustainable Coordination of Natural Fodder Areas in Armenia” kicked off with a working meeting

The kick-off meeting for the creation of a “Platform for Sustainable Management Coordination of Natural Fodder Areas” took place on March 23, 2018 in Yerevan. The platform is a joint initiative of Strategic Development Agency (SDA) within the framework of its “Livestock Development in the South of Armenia” project (funded by Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development (SDC)), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) within the framework of its “Integrated Biodiversity Management Programme” and the Agricultural Development Fund (ADF) (implementing CARMAC II project of WB). The platform aims to ensure efficient cooperation and coordination between organizations functioning in the area of pasture management in Armenia. This will promote the viability of programs and investments in the area of cattle farming thus increasing farmers’ economic well-being and promoting rural areas’ social-economic development.

Representatives of other stakeholder agencies, such as the Ministry of Nature Protection of RA, Ministry of Agriculture of RA, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development of RA, UNDP, the Agrarian University and others participated in the meeting. During the workshop Deputy Minister of Agriculture of RA Ashot Harutyunyan noted the important role of the platform in his speech. The participants proactively discussed the importance and the current state of sustainable management of natural fodder areas in Armenia, the idea and the vision of the platform based on the current concept paper. They ended up with a more precise timeframe for upcoming activities and a clear vision of more tangible results in near future.

“Livestock Development in the South of Armenia” Project is implemented by Strategic Development Agency (SDA) and funded by Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development (SDC). It is aimed at increasing economic opportunities and incomes of male and female farmers involved in animal husbandry in Syunik and Vayots Dzor regions. It covers 100 rural communities of Syunik and Vayots Dzor regions with a population of about 60,000 people or 14,000 households.