Seven families from three settlements in Syunik have already established their own small greenhouse businesses, supported by the Sustainable Communities project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The establishment of greenhouse farms is one of the five main projects of “Sustainable Communities,” which also includes beekeeping, mushroom production, and other programmes.
Arman Valesyan, head of the UNDP “Sustainable Communities” programme, told “Alik Media” that all programmes have two main directions: development of infrastructure and creation of income sources.
“We attach importance to residents’ involvement and willingness to work. When starting any new programme, there are doubts among the beneficiaries. It’s hard for them to imagine what we offer and what we expect from them, but over time, everything settles. Especially when they see one or two successful examples, they get excited and want to try,” says Valesyan.
The first pilot programme for the establishment of greenhouse farms was held in three settlements of the Goris community: Bartavan, Verishen, and Goris, at the end of last year. This year, the number of farms and regions will increase.
“We plan to expand the programme and provide greenhouses to residents of the border communities of Vayots Dzor (Vayk, Areni) and Gegharkunik (Vardeis, Chambarak), and continue in Syunik, this time in the Kapan community. We will try to select around 15 farms that will also have their own greenhouses,” says Mkhitar Balayan, an expert of the UNDP “Sustainable Communities” programme.
The participants of the programmes go through several stages before receiving a greenhouse. After applying to the project, they participate in theoretical and practical courses. During the two-day theoretical course, the best representatives of the field teach the peculiarities of growing plants in greenhouses, explaining the growing process and important details. The theoretical course also includes the transfer of marketing skills for further sales.
A greenhouse with an area of 135 square meters (150 square meters in Syunik) with all the necessary equipment is installed in the area near the home of the selected beneficiary. “It is possible to get more products from a small area. They also save water because the vegetables are watered using drip irrigation,” says Balayan.
When selecting beneficiaries, several principles are followed: belonging to a specific social group, availability of space, willingness to live in the settlement, and active participation in courses. Arman Valesyan emphasizes that the first important precondition is desire. “It is necessary to realize that in order to achieve success, it is necessary to constantly try, not to hurry, and be guided by the knowledge gained. One unsuccessful attempt should not be a cause for disappointment,” says the programme manager.
Beneficiaries do not receive direct financial support. The greenhouses are provided and furnished. They then receive the necessary seeds and seedlings to start their work. They should be ready to work independently in the future and invest to receive income. The programme representatives emphasize this approach, commenting that this way, the beneficiaries become independent much faster and find markets. The involvement of young people and women is encouraged.
“In that sense, we have a certain problem. Sometimes there is a clash between desire and the realization of reality. In one case, there is a desire to do something, but they have no idea how; in the other case, they start the work without desire. We are also trying to work in that direction with the involvement of specialists,” says Valesyan. According to him, such programmes contribute not only to the development of individual economies but also to the development of communities: jobs are created, and means of increasing income are established, leading to the self-sufficiency of the settlement.
