The Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development (CARD) Foundation has established a Farm Service Center in Norapat community of Armavir province.

The U.S. Embassy in Armenia noted that the Center was opened within the framework of the USAID-funded Partnerships for Rural Prosperity (PRP) program.

The specialized center will focus on the development of the horticulture (garden cultivation and management) sector in Armenia and will promote advanced techniques and practices of farm business development.

The new center will provide a package of services to local farmers and link them with international companies that provide supplies, equipment, and information on new technologies for horticultural management.

The center will be equipped with up-to-date laboratory equipment for soil, water, and plant analysis, and will facilitate market linkages and access to finance for Armenian farmers and rural small and medium size enterprises.

In addition, the FSC will host workshops and training programs by Armenian and foreign experts for more than 2,500 local farmers from 25 communities in Armavir.  The center will also serve as a venue for hands-on seminars for the students of the Armenian National Agrarian University.