May 26, 2011

Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Visits Armenia Water-to-Market Farmers

Innovative Program Promotes Green Technologies, Connects Farmers to Markets

Good on-farm water management means producing healthier crops and savings for farmers.

Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Daniel Yohannes traveled to Armenia May 3-5 to see firsthand farmers who are doing just that through an innovative high-value agricultural development project, Water-to-Market Activity. And the result is more money in farmers’ pockets.

The program introduces improved agricultural practices to smallholder farmers and strengthens local agricultural businesses to increase employment and reduce rural poverty in Armenia.

Farmers Learn Practical Skills at Demonstration Sites

ACDI/VOCA implements the Millennium Challenge Armenia-funded WtM program along with ARCADIS Euroconsult and VISTAA. Through the project, 60,000 rural farmers receive training in on-farm water management through hands-on sessions at fellow farmers’ demonstration plots.

Yohannes visited one of these sites owned by farmer Satenik Ghazaryan in the town of Aramus. There he learned how Ghazaryan and other farmers minimize water waste and produce better crops. Because of the program Ghazaryan’s farm now features a plastic greenhouse and drip irrigation system on a 180 square meter plot.

Strong Agricultural Businesses Link Farmers to Markets

WtM works to strengthen and support 220 local post-harvest and processing enterprises and market research facilities. The goal is for producers to be better able to process their harvests and link to higher-value markets—including national and international markets.

Yohannes visited one such processing enterprise, the Konser Cannery. WtM provides technical assistance to the cannery and helped to create fruit and vegetable collection centers.

The delegation also visited Spayka, LLC. WtM facilitates linkages between project farmers and Spayka, LLC. One initiative focuses on plans for marketing apricots—a fruit cultivated in Armenia since ancient times and popular today for culinary versatility and health benefits.

Learn more about the Water-to-Market Activity.

See more photos from the trip in the Flickr photo album.

Pictured at top left: Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Daniel Yohannes meets with participants of the Millennium Challenge Armenia Water-to-Market Activity.