Intercooperation together with Shen a national Armenian organisation, will implement the new SDC rural Development Project in the region of Meghri, South Armenia

The Meghri district in the Syunik province in the South of Armenia has favourable, sub-tropical conditions for agricultural production. Traditionally, fruits and vegetables were grown in Meghri supplying urban centers and local processing facilities.

The difficult economic situation after the break-up of the Soviet Union led to an increased emigration. Livelihood conditions of rural producer families are poor. Land and infrastructure suffer from degradation and natural disasters.

The project goal is to get a dynamic horticulture agribusiness sector that generates sustainable and broad-based employment and income for producers. Activities comprise interventions in production (information, technical know how, input supplies, irrigation), in marketing and sales (identification of market opportunities, strengthening value chains, organizing producers) and in processing.

A first inception phase has just started for setting up the project structure, developing a joint vision among the key stakeholders, and planning the implementation phase, which will take place from May 2010 to End of October 2012.

SHEN and IC have put together a competent and experienced national and Swiss team to successfully implement this ambitious project. SHEN with its presence on the ground and its excellent context knowledge assumes in the partnership the operational responsibility while IC is in charge of the conceptual and thematic guidance, particularly in the M4P approach.

_{For more information info@intercooperation.ch}