Yerevan, Armenia - 30 April, 2026 – Andrea Barbara Baumann, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Switzerland to the Republic of Armenia and Raimund Jehle, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) in Armenia signed the project agreement “Support the establishment of a National Forest Monitoring and Assessment System in Armenia”. The project is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by FAO in cooperation with the “Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center” SNCO of the Ministry of Environment of the RA.
The signing ceremony was followed by welcoming remarks from Aram Meymaryan, Deputy Minister of Environment, who emphasized that: “The establishment of a National Forest Monitoring and Assessment System is a crucial step for Armenia. Reliable data will enable us to make informed decisions, strengthen sustainable forest management, and better respond to climate change challenges.”
Andrea Barbara Baumann, Ambassador of Switzerland to Armenia, highlighted the importance of this partnership and its long-term impact: “Through the FORACCA project, Switzerland is supporting Armenia in strengthening climate knowledge, improving forest policy and management practices, and enhancing climate services. This particular partnership with FAO is a strategic investment in supporting Armenia in advancing a more sustainable and climate-resilient future, and meeting its international climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change”.
Raimund Jehle, FAO Representative in Armenia, underlined that “ With the project FAO brings global expertise in forest monitoring and inventory systems. In order to support Armenia Armenia in building strong national capacities and establishing a reliable data system that will guide policies and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Beyond strengthening data systems, the project will build national capacity by supporting the establishment and operation of a dedicated National Forest Monitoring Unit. Training programmes, field exercises, and knowledge transfer will ensure that national institutions can sustainably manage forest monitoring processes in the long term. The Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center will play a key role in continuing these efforts beyond the life of the project.
The system will also monitor reforestation, afforestation, and agroforestry activities across the country, providing critical insights into their effectiveness and supporting adaptive management. This will help guide efforts to combat illegal logging, enhance ecosystem resilience, and promote the sustainable use of forest resources, including non-timber forest products.
Armenia’s forests, covering approximately 11 percent of the country’s land area, are essential for biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and rural livelihoods.
A key challenge has been the absence of reliable, up-to-date forest data. Armenia has not conducted a full National Forest Inventory (NFI) since the 1980s and has instead depended on estimates based on satellite imagery and outdated forest management records. This lack of current information has constrained the country’s capacity to develop evidence-based policies and to respond effectively to climate and environmental pressures.
The newly signed project seeks to address this critical gap by establishing a strong National Forest Monitoring and Assessment (NFMA) system, including continuous cycles of National Forest Inventory implementation. Through the integration of field-based data collection with modern technologies such as remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS), the initiative will generate accurate and comprehensive data on forest resources, including forest cover, forest health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
May 05, 2026 at 13:17