Armenia advances efforts to align food systems and climate action through National Convergence Initiative

Tsaghkadzor, Armenia – Government representatives, United Nations agencies, development partners and national stakeholders met in Tsaghkadzor for a two-day national dialogue to examine ways to harmonize national food systems policies with Armenia’s climate commitments.

The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Government of Armenia and the United Nations Food Systems Coordination Hub, supporting Armenia’s efforts to advance national priorities while contributing to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement.

During the dialogue, participants worked together to lay the foundations for a Convergence Action Blueprint (CAB) – a strategic framework aimed at strengthening synergies between food systems transformation and climate action. Through collaborative discussions and technical exchanges, stakeholders contributed to the development of a shared approach to support sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems while advancing national climate commitments.

The discussions included the development of a shared vision and national objectives to align food systems transformation with climate policies and long-term sustainability goals. Participants also identified key intervention areas, such as strengthening policy coherence, mobilizing financing, enhancing institutional and technical capacities, promoting inclusive participation and ensuring accountability.

Opening the event, H.E. Arman Khojoyan, Deputy Minister of Economy, emphasized the importance of today’s event and coordinated action across the sectors.

“The aim of the National Dialogue on Armenia’s Convergence Initiative is to strengthen coordinated collaboration at the national level among sectoral institutions and stakeholders by aligning food systems transformation pathways with key climate action instruments. The alignment of food systems transformation and climate action is among the priorities of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. This initiative aims to identify existing challenges and, through enhanced cross-sectoral cooperation, the development of financing mechanisms, and the establishment of a monitoring framework, to provide a unified vision, strategic objectives, and a clear framework for actions aimed at developing climate-resilient and competitive agriculture in Armenia.”- said Mr. Arman Khojoyan, the Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia and the UN Food Systems National Convenor.

Ms. Francoise Jacob, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Armenia in her welcoming remarks mentioned, “Armenia stands at an important moment in its history. There is a real possibility of opening a new chapter—one defined by peace, prosperity, and a forward‑looking development model. A model that places resilience, sustainability, and human well‑being at its core. Transforming food systems in harmony with climate and environmental action can become one of the pillars of that new chapter. And COP 17 will be a great opportunity to accelerate action and feature some great examples from Armenia”.

Mr. Khaled Eltaweel, Senior Programme Coordinator of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, underscored the importance of aligning food systems transformation with climate action to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Less than 20% of the SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030. Food system transformation is a powerful entry point that can accelerate the achievements of multiple SDGs.”

During the first day of the workshop, participants reviewed Armenia’s policy landscape, including the Agriculture Strategy, climate action policies such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), as well as ongoing food systems transformation efforts.

Through facilitated breakout discussions, stakeholders identified priority intervention areas, existing gaps and risks, and proposed concrete actions to accelerate convergence between food systems and climate policies.

The second day of the workshop focused on brainstorming the Food Security and Agriculture Development Action Plan 2027–2030, strengthening alignment between the proposed measures and the convergence vision by incorporating key interventions identified during the dialogue.

The outcomes of the workshop are expected to contribute to shaping a national roadmap for aligning food systems transformation with climate action and the elaboration of a National Action Plan on food security and agriculture development, supporting Armenia’s commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and national development strategies.

By fostering collaboration across sectors and institutions, the convergence dialogue marked an important step toward building sustainable, climate-resilient and inclusive food systems in Armenia.

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