WOBURN, Mass. — The Armenia Tree Project (ATP) has developed a social and economic rehabilitation program for villagers from the hard-hit areas of Martuni and Askeran in Artsakh.
As a result of the war, some families lost access to arable farmland. Today, much of Artsakh’s food is imported from Armenia and is expensive. To address these problems, ATP will construct small greenhouses (30 square meters) in the backyards of 50 families in the coming months. Additionally, it will establish a nursery in Stepanakert.
Fifty families in Artsakh will receive tools, training, and vegetable seeds to grow food they can consume or sell as necessary through the greenhouse project. ATP’s partner, Green Lane NGO, will assist in training beneficiaries in greenhouse management, producing high value crops, and preparing produce for sale.
Residents and newly resettled villagers in places such as Herher, Taghvard, Karmir Shuka, Chartar and Askeran suffered immense losses during the war. This program will provide some economic stability and, most importantly, hope for their future. Additionally, each family will receive fruit trees from ATP along with instructions on how to care for the seedlings.
In addition to Green Lane NGO, ATP has benefited from partnership with students at the American University of Armenia and Worcester Polytechnic Institute who collaborated with ATP last semester to design a small, sturdy greenhouse which can easily be constructed and maintained using locally available, affordable materials.
In addition to the greenhouse program, ATP is establishing a nursery in Stepanakert; an important project that expands ATP’s Community Tree Planting program in Artsakh.
