FAO TO PROVIDE $500,000 TO ARMENIA FOR OVERCOMING FOOD CRISIS

ARKA
Aug 6, 2008

YEREVAN, August 6. /ARKA/. The Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) signed an agreement with Armenia on providing $500,000 for the
country to overcome the food crisis.

The agreement was signed by Armenian Minister of Agriculture Aramayis
Grigoryan and FAO Representative on Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Maria Kadlecikova.

A year ago Armenia applied to FAO leadership for help and received
positive response. The money will be spent on purchase of stock cereals
seeds for farmers who are in a worst condition, the Minister said.

The program is to cover 4,300-4,500 most vulnerable rural households
of most damaged regions.

The stock seeds will be distributed to farmers from August 20 to
August 25.

The seeds will be purchased in Armenia so that local producers have
an opportunity to sell their seed products this and next year, the
Minister said.

Maria Kadlecikova, in her turn, reported that soon the second stage
agreement will be signed to develop institutional development and
improve marketing opportunities of the country’s rural sector.

Under the program, expert assistance will be provided to farmers to
ensure long-term and stable results of sowing next season.

Armenia is among 48 states most damaged as a result of the steep
rise in prices for foodstuffs and fuel. FAO is to allocate $21mln to
these countries.

Armenia has been a full20member of FAO since 1993. In the last 13
years FAO played great role in development and implementation of rural
policy in Armenia, settlement of food safety problems and expansion
of international cooperation and poverty reduction.