Hydroponic greenhouses in Tavush schools

A new hydroponic greenhouse has been built adjacent to the Achajur Secondary School within the framework of the “HydroGreen Tavush” program. Similarly, the hydroponic greenhouses constructed near Sevkar and Koghb No. 1 schools make it possible to combine educational, environmental, and social innovation within a single project. The program is supported by the Government of Estonia, thus localizing Estonian expertise in agriculture in the Tavush region.

“In Estonia, the development of agriculture has two main goals. First is the protection of the environment, but also the circular economy, so that we truly safeguard our environment through agricultural developments and production. I am glad that we also have exemplary Estonian experience here in Armenia. The relations between Estonia and Armenia have never been as good as they are today. We have very close political ties. Armenia–Estonia relations are also important in the context of Armenia–European Union relations, as Estonia is a member of the European Union,” noted Margus Mardisalu-Kahari, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Estonia to Armenia, in an interview with Tavush Media.

The “HydroGreen Tavush” program is being implemented exclusively in the Tavush region. The initiative belongs to the Armenian branch of the Estonian Refugee Council. The main prerequisite for the program’s implementation is the shortage of water resources in local communities.

The program aims to cultivate responsible environmental behavior among 400 schoolchildren in Tavush while simultaneously contributing to food security and the establishment of a sustainable local ecosystem. The work will not end with the construction and operation of the greenhouses. Regular courses will be held for 7th to 9th-grade students on the efficient use of water resources, waste management, and, more broadly, the principles of living in harmony with nature.

Residents forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh will also be involved in the greenhouse cultivation work. Thus, the greenhouses built next to schools in three Tavush villages are already ready for use. Above all, they serve as open classrooms where children can be closer to nature and ecological life.