With support from Argentinean-Armenian donors, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has launched the third phase of its increasingly popular greenhouse program in 10 communities of Armenia’s Tavush Region.
Metal framed greenhouses, each measuring 100 square meters and covered with high-quality polycarbonate and polyethylene, will be built for 57 farming families in the villages of Voskevan, Artsvaberd, Koti, Nerkin Tsaghkavan, Berdavan, Aygehovit, Koghb, Zorakan, Ditavan, and Kirants. Two additional greenhouses will be constructed in the village of Khachardzan, with the financial support of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s Australian affiliate. As part of the project, the beneficiary families will also receive seedlings and be provided with technical consultation at the initial phase of the greenhouse growing.
Maraim Zenjirjian, the project’s coordinator, says that beneficiaries are selected through a lottery process and must assume a portion of the greenhouse-construction cost. The selection of the communities has been made considering the List of the Border Villages defined by the Government of Armenia. After announcing the launch of the program’s third phase the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has received 100 applications for construction of 59 greenhouses. Each greenhouse costs US $5,400 equal AMD, of which 200,000 AMD is covered by the beneficiary. “Year by year, the number of greenhouse owners increases considerably in the region reaching from 10 to 102. Hopefully, the new tariff of electricity fixed from 2017 will ease the financial burden of the greenhouse farmers.” Zenjirjian says.
Greenhouses have helped significantly boost farming throughout Tavush while providing families with a stable source of income. As a result of the first and second phases of the program carried out through 2013 to 2015, 43 households in the villages of Ditavan, Kirants, Baghanis, Aygehovit, Vazashen, Gandzakar, and Khachardzan now own and operate their own greenhouses.