Martz settlement of Tumanyan consolidated community was affected by the heavy rain and hail that fell in Lori Region the other day. Gayane Qochinyan, a nurse at the settlement, told Ecolur about the problems plaguing the village. "It was a terrible mudslide and hail. The flood washed away the fertile soil, it is full of sand, we are sitting on the sand. Now we have to bring soil from another place to grow tomatoes and cucumbers," she said.
According to Gayane Qochinyan, a rockfall occurred on the newly built road entering the village, blocking a section of the road as a result of torrential rain.
Along with the new problems, the establishment of slaughterhouses continues to be a priority in Martz. During the meeting within the framework of "Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia" (LILA) project, the residents mentioned that the ban on slaughtering cattle on site (in their own settlements) confronted them with additional costs.
The settlement closest to Martz, where there is a slaughterhouse, is Odzun. However, the total cost of animal feed, fur and transportation to the slaughterhouse is almost equal to the cost of the meat sold. "There is almost no money left, we keep them with fodder, we calculate the costs of fodder and keeping, in the end, there is no money left," Gayane Qochinyan mentioned.
According to the village residents, there is also a problem of sale of dairy products in Martz, especially in the spring and autumn months. The consumer market is again far away and delivery to other villages is also costly.
LILA project is implemented by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Armenia office in cooperation with the Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO. The project is funded by the Swiss government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Photo Credit: Gayane Qochinyan
June 26, 2024 at 12:33