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United Nations Development Programme / Armenia
14 Petros Adamyan St., Yerevan 0010
Contact: Mr. Hovhannes Sarajyan, Communications Associate
Tel: +37410 566 073 ext. 128
E-mail: hovhannes.sarajyan@undp.org<mailto:hovhannes.sa rajyan@undp.org>
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A community potable water network and 13 greenhouses were inaugurated
in Lusadzor community of Tavush region
Yerevan, 01 October, 2009 – Today the newly reconstructed internal
community potable water network and 13 greenhouses for cultivating
vegetables were officially inaugurated in Lusadzor community of Tavush
region. The project was implemented by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) in Armenia with financial support of the Government
of Italy.
The ceremony was attended by Consuelo Vidal, UN Resident Coordinator
/UNDP Resident Representative (UN RC/UNDP RR), H.E. Bruno Scapini,
Ambassador of Italy to Armenia, and Armen Ghularyan, Governor of
Tavush region.
The reconstruction activities of the internal potable water network
started in September 2008 and were finalized in May 2009. During the
project implementation phase, a new water pipeline, with a
6.2-kilometer long internal network, and a pumping station were
constructed, and the water reservoirs were renovated. As a result, all
the residents of Lusadzor community are supplied with clear potable
water round the clock.
Based on participatory discussions at the community level, it was
proposed to establish greenhouses for planting various vegetables. The
UNDP Community Development Project, based on expert assessment,
suggested constructing plastic greenhouses at an area of 90-180 m2 to
serve the interests of 13 households. As a result, the annual income
of each household participated in this initiative is anticipated to
increase by around EUR 600.
In 2007, UNDP entered Lusadzor under its Community Development Project
in an effort to set up locally-based participatory planning and
prioritization processes leading to revitalization and development of
the community. Work with the community has been initiated by the RoA
Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the Third Armenia-Diaspora
Conference. Together with other five neighboring villages, Lusadzor
has been included in the rural development cluster of Ijevan
sub-district addressed under the Rural Development Program of
"Hayastan" All Armenian Fund. In line with the Program, the Government
of Italy has provided a total of EUR 500,000 for the implementation of
community development projects in Lusadzor.
Key problems and development constraints have been revealed
collectively by the community residents and local authorities with
targeted counseling from UNDP. Through community meetings and focus
group discussions, UNDP has facilitated an open and transparent
process of prioritization of development needs resulting in the
elaboration of the 2007-08 integrated community development plan.
"Sustainable community development is a critical area of UNDP
activities in Armenia. UNDP approach to community development is based
on the belief that in order to make communities economically
sustainable, we have to concentrate not only on infrastructure
rehabilitation projects, but also ensure income and employment
generation, active citizens’ participation in local development. We
are convinced that combination of these approaches is an important
precondition for sustainable human development," said Consuelo Vidal,
UN RC/UNDP RR.
UNDP initiated a total of eight prioritized development projects in
Lusadzor. The projects were implemented in two main directions
targeting the recovery of socio-economic infrastructure and the
creation of income generation opportunities for the community
households.
The infrastructure projects, among others, included the construction
of the 4.8-kilometer intra- community gas network, making gas
accessible to all households of the community, reconstruction of the
2.5-kilometer internal irrigation network and rehabilitation of the
community center.
Within the income generation scheme, UNDP has provided 136 households
with 17 tons of quality wheat seed, as well as diesel and
fertilizer. As a result, 55 hectares of the community arable lands
were returned into crop cultivation. UNDP also supported the
establishment of persimmon orchards which improved the living
standards of 146 households. In 3-4 years the community will start
harvesting around 1,000 tons of persimmons. To support around 120
households engaged in cattle breeding, UNDP initiated a project on
artificial insemination of the community livestock aimed at improving
its genetic qualities and fertility.
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UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and
connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help
people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries,
working with them on their own solutions to global and national
development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on
the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. UNDP in Armenia was
established in 1993 and supports the Government of Armenia to reach
its own development priorities and the Millennium Development Goals by
2015.