THE US GOVERNMENT FUNDED MCA-ARMENIA PROGRAM DELIVERS WATER AND TRAINING TO FARMERS
NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 10, 2010
AYGEZARD
On May 7 the U.S. Ambassador Marie L.
Yovanovitch and the Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan opened
2.5 kilometers of the 8.5 kilometers that constitutes the Aygezard
gravity irrigation canal scheme (Ararat marz) rehabilitated under
the Millennium Challenge Account-Armenia (MCA-Armenia) Program.
Ambassador Yovanovitch and the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized
the impact of infrastructure rehabilitation on improving farming
practices and attitudes of farmers, including more effective irrigation
practices, transition to higher value agriculture, and ultimately-
increased profitability of Armenian farmers.
In the farm of a farmer Mr. Ashot Abrahamyan was held the opening
ceremony. Mr. Ashot Abrahamyan through hard work and ingenuity, has
struggled to maintain his two hectares of apricot orchards for 20
years, despite extreme scarcity of water. Over 11, 000 rural residents
from Aygezard, Gintver and Nor Ughi communities will benefit from
the rehabilitation of this Aygezard gravity system.
According to the report given to Noyan Tapan, this investment in
Aygezard, is an important part of the 180 million USD worth of
agricultural assistance provided by the US Government to Armenia
through the Compact signed with the Millennium Challenge Corporation
(MCC) in 2006. When completed in September 2011, the MCA-Armenia
Program expects to have refurbished major sections of Armenia’s main
canal systems, modernized some of the most urgently needed pumping
stations, introduced new gravity irrigation schemes, re-built tertiary
canals in communities across Armenia and restored sections of the
Ararat Valley Drainage system. The MCA-Armenia Program is also training
nearly 45,000 farmers in improved agriculture practices, delivering
technical assistance to water supply institutions and providing 8,5
million USD in credit to farmers and small agribusinesses in support
of the program objectives.
Information: Millennium Challenge Account-Armenia (MCA-Armenia),
a State Non-Commercial Organization established by the Government of
Armenia, is responsible for overseeing the transparent implementation
of the Compact signed between the Millennium Challenge Corporation
and the Government of Armenia.