The Irrigated Agriculture Development in Ararat and Armavir marzes (IADAAM) project supports the Government of Armenia in policy matters linked with the development of modernized irrigated agriculture.

Launched in 2024 and funded by the European Union (EU) with the support of the French Development Agency (AFD), the project will provide €4.4 million in technical assistance and €5.6 million in infrastructure investments within the framework of a €10 million grant agreement.

The IADAAM project is implemented jointly with the Ministry of Economy (85%) and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure (15%), reflecting a collaborative approach to address the existing challenges of the agricultural sector. It provides sustainable and efficient tools for the development of irrigated agriculture in the Ararat and Armavir marzes of Armenia. It includes support for creating and developing agricultural cooperatives, introducing financial instruments and mechanisms in the sector, implementing land consolidation measures, and installing modern irrigation systems in pilot areas.

As a result of the project’s implementation, land consolidation and the expansion of irrigated areas — up to 2,000 hectares (subject to revision)—are expected in the target marzes. This includes expanding the on-farm irrigation networks linked to the construction and launch of the Vedi reservoir, supporting farmers in adopting modern irrigated agriculture practices, providing grants for irrigation system improvements, and introducing collateral guarantee tools to facilitate access to essential financial resources.

It is planned to establish up to 20 production cooperatives and three agricultural extension services, as well as to provide support for the implementation and development of ongoing and systemic reforms in the irrigation sector to the Government of the Republic of Armenia, represented by the Ministry of Economy.

The project is scheduled for implementation between 2024 and 2026, covering the Ararat and Armavir regions of the Republic of Armenia. Specifically, the entire Ararat marz and the Baghramyan and Norakert settlements of the enlarged Parakar community in the Armavir marz have been selected.

As part of the IADAAM project, JV AESA Belgium was declared the winner of the operator selection tender, and a two-year service contract was signed on June 4, 2024. The operator is currently working in the selected pilot areas to ensure the effective implementation of the project. The technical assistance component is being implemented jointly by Agriconsulting Europe S.A., Avenue Consulting Group, Strategic Development Agency NGO, and 3R Strategy LLC as part of a consortium.

For inquiries regarding project consultation, please contact us via email at iadaamproject@gmail.com.

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