Project aim: To help small and medium-sized businesses in Armenia make their production more environmentally friendly, by improving energy and resource efficiency, waste management and by using fewer chemicals.

Project implementation: Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) Armenia 

Project partners: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) 

Project financing:  Financed by the European Union, the German Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) — through its International Climate Initiative (IKI) project Improving Incentive Frameworks and Capacity for Green, Climate-related Investments in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia— and others like UNIDO

Project location: Armenia

Project duration:  2014 - 2020

Armenia loves its apricots. The golden fruit appears in many traditional dishes and even adorns the nation's flag. But their production isn't always kind to its fragile agricultural land. The fruit is usually dried using polluting sulfur, but some businesses are discovering the benefits of switching to processes using steam, and seeing sales of their organic fruit soar.

Environmental concerns have been low on the agenda for Armenian companies. But Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) Armenia is helping businesses, from farmers to bakers and factories cut energy use and adopt more eco-friendly practices.

Economically, Armenia has never truly recovered from the collapse of the Soviet Union. Around a million Armenians — a third of the population — have left the country since 1991, and young people are still emigrating in droves in search of better opportunities. The project aims to boost the local economy, create jobs and give people a reason to stay in Armenia.

A film by Claudia Laszczak