Food security in Gndevaz
Food security in Gndevaz
Starting from August 1, 2023, "Green Armenia" environmental and educational NGO is teaming up with UN Development Programme/Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Programme for an important cause. Together, we are launching the "Ensuring Food Security in Gndevaz Settlement through Sustainable Resource Management" program.
The project is being implemented by “Green Armenia” Environmental Educational NGO through the UN Development Programme/Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Programme funding․
The project aims to generate additional source of income in Gndevaz settlement of Jermuk consolidated community for increasing the efficiency and productivity of farming through introducing smart management of natural resources.
The population in Gndevaz is mainly engaged in cattle breeding and farming. The overall agricultural lands make up 5677 hectares, of which cropland is 492 hectares, perennial plant land are 141.8 hectares, 180 hectares are arable, 120 hectares are not irrigated. The communal lands are prone to degradation, landslide areas need rehabilitation and smart cultivation. The community has sufficient water resources, that are accumulated in Kechut and Gndevaz reservoirs. However, due to malfunctioning of the system out of 500 l/s of available irrigation water, it is possible to use only 150 l/s.
As a result of the military conflict in 2020 war, Armenia's water resources, as well as land areas were reduced. The situation in Jermuk consolidated community further worsened after the expansion of the conflict in September 2022, when water sources and grassland areas of the community appeared in the conflict zone.
The project plans to restore the irrigation system to convert abandoned 120 ha to irrigated land, thus improving the livelihoods of 180 community households and preventing migration. In parallel, new irrigation technologies, such as drip irrigation, sprinklers, etc., will be introduced, as well as terracing as a restoration of the traditional cultivation culture will be implemented.
The project will produce the following results:
Water losses in the community reduced by 80 %, water savings increased by 50 % due to new agricultural technologies and innovative irrigation practices, applied by 180 farmers.
120 hectares of arable land in Gndevaz settlement will become irrigated and return to cultivation due to rehabilitated irrigation infrastructure.
At least 20 farmers will increase income through high-value crops cultivation.
Cultivated lands expanded by 3ha by using terracing as a restoration of the traditional cultivation culture.
180 farmers and land users, over 900 representatives of local government institutions will increas their knowledge and capacities on land degradation and carbon stock, climate change adaptation, new methods on agricultural technologies and innovative irrigation.
About 900 direct beneficiaries will improv their livelihood due to rehabilitated irrigation infrastructure and introduced new agroecological practices.