PRESS RELEASE

Yerevan, Armenia – April 3, 2025 – The Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus (REC Caucasus Armenia) actively participated in the Green Agriculture  Conference Armenia 2025, held on April 2–3 at the Armenia Marriott Hotel. Themed “Enabling Sustainable Development in Armenia through Green Agriculture,” the event brought together experts, institutions, and practitioners from across the region to discuss sustainable agricultural practices and foster cooperation. As part of its contribution, REC Caucasus presented the PROGRESS – Promoting Green Deal Readiness in the Eastern Partnership Countries project. The project, funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Government and commissioned by the Federal Ministry for the Environment,   Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), is implemented by GIZ in partnership with the OECD, EBA Moldova, IEF   Ukraine, and REC Caucasus.

During the conference, REC Armenia’s team introduced stakeholders to the ongoing work of PROGRESS during the poster session, particularly focusing on:

• Supporting adoption of climate-smart practices in agriculture and industry to reduce emissions and enhance resilience.
• Building the capacities of SMEs and farmers to improve implementation of sustainable approaches.
• Promoting green technologies and innovations across agriculture and industry.
• Fostering regional collaboration and knowledge exchange between Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan.
• Helping align national practices with EU Green Deal standards, strengthening market access for local producers.

Specific actions presented included pilot demonstrations, training and capacity-building initiatives, and policy support targeting value chains in fruits, berries, and nuts — key sectors for Armenia’s green transition.

The REC Caucasus team also engaged in active dialogue with government representatives, ministries, civil society organizations, NGOs, development projects, educational institutions, and vocational training providers to explore potential areas of collaboration and long-term partnerships. The conference provided a valuable platform to demonstrate how regional efforts like PROGRESS are not only driving environmental outcomes but also helping shape a more resilient and competitive green agriculture and economy for Armenia.

The conference was co-organized by the EU Green Agriculture Initiative in Armenia (EU-GAIA) and the Armenian National Agrarian University (ANAU), with support from ADA and other partners.