Resource information
Within any economy, agriculture is the
sector that is most sensitive to climate change. In Armenia,
however, the risks are even more pronounced because the
majority of the rural population depends on agriculture for
their livelihoods. This publication outlines the policy
options available to Armenia, based on a rigorous evaluation
of the impacts of climate change on agricultural systems. It
provides a solid foundation for taking strategic and, in
many cases, immediate action to implement climate-smart
agriculture in the country. Specifically, this report
provides a menu of options for climate change adaptation in
the agricultural and water resources sectors, along with
specific recommended actions that are tailored to distinct
agricultural regions within Armenia. These recommendations
reflect the results of three inter-related activities,
conducted jointly by the expert team and local partners: (1)
quantitative economic modeling of baseline conditions and
the effects of certain adaptation options; (2) qualitative
analysis conducted by the expert team of agronomists, crop
modelers, and water resource experts; and (3) input from a
series of participatory workshops for farmers in each of the
agricultural regions. This report provides a summary of the
methods, data, results, and recommendations for each of
these activities, which were reviewed by local counterparts
at the October 11, 2012, National Dissemination and
Consensus Building Conference. This study is part of the
World Bank s Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Regional
Analytical and Advisory Activities (AAA) Program on Reducing
Vulnerability to Climate Change in ECA Agricultural Systems.
Armenia is one of three countries participating in the
program, with the other country participants being
Azerbaijan and Georgia. The study underlines the importance
and urgency of capacity-building to empower Armenia to
initiate control of its own climate resilience, while also
providing specific guidance to finance opportunities in the
rapidly emerging climate adaptation sector. The World Bank
is partnering with the Government through ongoing projects
in this important area, and looks forward to continuing its
engagement and support going forward.
