Hambardzum Matevosyan, Minister of Environment of the RA, received Kaveh Zahedi, Director of the FAO Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment. Raimund Jehle, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Armenia, also attended the meeting.
The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss opportunities for expanding cooperation between Armenia and FAO in the areas of biodiversity conservation, sustainable agri-food systems, and the effective management of land and water resources.
For three decades, the FAO has been supporting the development of agriculture in Armenia, strengthening food security, and implementing environmental programmes.
During the meeting, the parties also discussed ongoing major projects. At present, the Ministry, in cooperation with FAO, is implementing the “Forest Resilience of Armenia, Enhancing Adaptation and Rural Green Growth Via Mitigation” project. The initiative aims to significantly strengthen the stability and resilience of Armenia’s forest ecosystems while simultaneously supporting the development of rural communities. The target provinces of the project—Lori and Syunik—were selected based on an assessment of forest ecosystem characteristics, population density, socio-economic indicators, and the intensity of climate change impacts.
The inclusion of agri-food systems in the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) was also discussed.
Highlighting the importance of joint efforts and experience-sharing on international platforms, the Minister presented the preparatory process for the COP17 and reaffirmed the readiness of the Republic of Armenia to deepen cooperation on organizational and technical issues related to the event.