On July 15, H.E. Aoki Yutaka, Ambassador of Japan to Armenia, accompanied by Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, visited the Ayrum-Chochkan and Chochkan-1 irrigation pumping stations in Lori region to learn on the ground about the results of the "Transition to low carbon irrigation technologies for increased productivity, food security and enhanced livelihoods in Lori and Shirak regions of Armenia" project funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by UNDP. 

Martiros Nalbandyan and Varazdat Mkrtchyan, Deputy Chairmen of the Water Committee of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Gor Asryan, Deputy Governor of Lori region, officials of the Embassy of Japan and UNDP, and the management of the "TAMSAM" company also joined the event.

During the visit, the Ambassador of Japan got acquainted with modernized irrigation pumping stations, where energy-efficient pumps and 450kW solar systems were installed. As a result, energy costs were reduced by 90 percent in pumping stations in Lori region, and the irrigations water self-cost price was reduced by 41 percent. Thanks to the new energy-efficient pumps, the irrigation water supply capacity increased, reaching 8-12 hours instead of the previous four hours. The modernized pumping stations made it possible to increase the area of ​​1900 hectares of irrigated land by another 200 hectares. A similar modernization was carried out also in the Beniamin pumping station in Shirak region, where energy costs were reduced by 100 percent. 

Moreover, taking into account the capacity of the new pumps, it is now possible to organize the water supply of the irrigated areas of the Chochkan-1 pumping station disrupted due to the pipeline damage during the recent flooding in Lori region, through the Ayrum-Chochkan pumping station.

The digitized data base of the Ayrum-Chochkan and Chochkan-1 irrigation systems and irrigated areas based on the geographic information system (GIS) was also presented. It enables effective and visible implementation of the irrigation process, identifying water losses and causes, developing clear solutions and identifying the areas, types of plots and gardens cultivated by the beneficiaries, as well as the number of beneficiary families considering the gender and age characteristics.

H.E. Aoki Yutaka, Ambassador of Japan to Armenia and RA government officials expressed their satisfaction with the carried out works and hoped for continuity and replication of similar projects in other regions of Armenia.