YEREVAN, JULY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. FAO has just approved a series of projects in 48 countries for a total value of 21 million USD to help small farmers and vulnerable households mitigate the negative effects of rising food and input prices. The project will provide farmers with agricultural inputs as of this month for an expected duration of one year. Funded by the Technical Cooperation Programme, i.e. FAO's own resources, they are part of FAO's Initiative on soaring food prices (ISFP). As Noyan Tapan was informed by FAO, Armenia is among these countries and will benefit from this FAO initiative within the framework of a newly approved TCP/ARM/3202 (E) -Input supply to vulnerable populations under the Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP) project. The overall objective of the project is to maintain livelihoods and food security of the most vulnerable households of the food insecure districts of Armenia, affected by the difficult 2007/8 winter as well as the recent soaring food prices crisis, to provide technical assistance on best farming practices and to ensure long lasting and sustainable results for future planting seasons. This project will target the most affected farmers with an emergency distribution of cereal seeds and adequate fertilizers. This will enable farmers to resume agriculture activities and offer them an alternative source of income, thus restoring the household economy and ensuring food security. In addition, the target beneficiaries will be provided with adequate training in improved potato, wheat and vegetable production. Some 2.000 vulnerable rural households in the most affected areas of Armenia will benefit from this project. The duration of the project is 12 months and the total project budget is 500 thousand USD. The project already became operational and the FAO Representation implementing partner of it is the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia.

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