Armenia Tree Project (ATP) distributed the greenhouse materials to the first 25 beneficiary families of Artsakh’s Martuni Town, and the villages of Taghavard, Karmir Shuka, and Herher in the Martuni Region, Armenia.
All 50 families participating in ATP’s backyard greenhouse program were severely affected by the recent 44-day war having lost family members and/or homes, businesses, and belongings. ATP’s program will provide some economic stability, access to produce as so much agricultural land was lost in the war, and most importantly, hope for their future.
In about a few days, under the supervision of the greenhouse installation team, our beneficiaries were able to prepare the ground and assemble the 30-square meter greenhouses.
Student design
The greenhouses are designed by students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) to be small, durable, and made of locally available and affordable materials.
Earlier this April, ATP provided families with 10 fruit trees for their personal use. In addition, our partners at Green Lane NGO provided the families with berry bushes and vegetable seeds. The beneficiaries are invited to participate in a two-day training at Green Lane NGO's Learning Center in Armenia’s Kotayk region. The course will focus on crop production, greenhouse operation, the plant environment and pest control.
Masis Zargaryan, the Deputy Head of Martuni District Administration supervises the distribution and implementation of the backyard greenhouse program in Martuni.
Mardi and Rusanna Harutyunyan- a couple from Karmir Shuka, who lost one of their sons during the 44-day war, are currently busy preparing the greenhouse. Their other son Nver helps in the construction work.
Building the greenhouse
“Assembling the greenhouse went rather fast and it took only 2 days to finish it. Before sowing seeds and planting seedlings, I want to improve the quality of the soil, to enable the plants to grow better. I have also installed drip irrigation, so during hot summer days I can use it as well”, notes Mr. Harutyunyan
Davit Avanesyan from Martuni town is busy with preparing the soil for planting. “Since the area of the greenhouse is rather small, the vegetables and the greenery we will grow will be enough to feed my family year-round” says Davit.
Yuri is overseeing the reconstruction of a house in Karmir Shuka village severely damaged during the 44-day war. The house Yuri is rebuilding is for his daughter-in-law, Irina and her four children–the youngest of which is only 4 years old. Irina (35), a beneficiary of our backyard greenhouse program, lost her husband, Yuri’s son during the 44-day war. Originally from Karmir Shuka, she moved her young family to Stepanakert until the renovations are complete. They anticipate being returning in a month or two.
“The greenhouse is ready to plant the seeds provided by Green Lane NGO hopefully we will have a harvest this year. The renovations to the house are almost complete for my family to return. I have 10 grandchildren, who all live in this village. We have nowhere else to live but our birthplace."
For more information:
Armenia Tree
www.armeniatree.org