Plant Production and Protection Division: Galerie de photos

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

The Stones of Carahunge in Armenia (sixth millennium BC), also known as “the Stones of Zorats” (AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

The church of Khor Virap with the impressive silhouette of Mount Ararat in the background (AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

Professor Aida Stepanyan of the State Agrarian University of Armenia explains local fruit varieties. After a long period in which many varieties were abandoned in favour of a few high-yielding ones, today there is increasing awareness that diversification contributes to resilience to climatic and economic fluctuations and enables small farmers to reach the markets with their products (AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

In universities, students learn about both indigenous germplasm and high-yielding introduced varieties that hold the potential to sustain agricultural production in the future

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

Melons filling rows and rows in local markets generally come from family orchards. The income from this production is often used to pay for good education for children (AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

Aquaculture can represent an important source of income generation and diversification for rural people, provided financial and technical support is granted (AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

Shamam melon, grapes and raisins at a market in Mashtot. The Southern Caucasus is considered a centre of origin of the grapevine. Diversity of landraces/farmer varieties has been declining, however many local varieties can still be found in family gardens (AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

Traditional sun-drying technique of sigfish caught in Lake Sevan (AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AR)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

The walnut is well adapted to the climatic conditions of the Southern Caucasus and represents a precious source of food and energy (AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

The rich diversity of legume species and varieties of the Southern Caucasus contributes to increasing soil fertility, regulating the variability of the climate and maintaining ecosystem functions (AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

The pomegranate is a symbol of fertility and is often used in paintings and decorations because of its beauty and delicate shape (AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

The creation and proper management of natural reserves are fundamental for the preservation of endangered species, such as the Persian gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) protected in the Sirvan Milli Park (AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

In order to survive in harsh environments, people must have an individual and collective commitment to use natural resources, including lakes and rivers, without jeopardizing biodiversity and ecosystem balance, avoiding wastes and pollution (AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

Within a few hundred kilometres, many different climatic patterns can be found, contributing to the rich biodiversity of the territory (AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

The Caspian Sea is the largest landlocked waterbody in the world and is bordered by Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran (AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

Local animals are well suited to grazing on natural grasslands. To limit the state of degradation of many grasslands, appropriate policies must urgently be developed and pastoralists will need to be increasingly involved in maintenance of locally adapted genetic resources. In addition, animal stocking rates will have to be adjusted to the productive potential of grasslands (AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

Pistachio fruit (Pistacia vera L.). The pistachio tree is often used in reforestation programmes thanks to its capacity of growing in poor soils. A few multicentenary trees of Pistacia mutica, an ancestor of pistachio, can still be found in Southern Caucasus, but are at risk of extinction (AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

The Caucasus is characterized by a complex, sometimes mosaic, spatial structure of biological communities, representing different biogeographic zones. The optimal way to protect Caucasian biodiversity is to pay particular attention to this factor, since its most important feature is the constant interaction of local, west Asian and eastern European communities (AZ)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(GE)

Gardens of Biodiversity © FAO/Marzio Marzot

(GE)

Pear wood is highly prized and is used to make tools, instruments and furniture. This has caused the genetic erosion of giant centenary pear trees, making it increasingly difficult to find them (GE)

Pears were already widely cultivated by ancient civilizations and today many cultivated and wild pear varieties can still be found in the Southern Caucasus (GE)

Hundreds of species are preserved in the natural grasslands of the Southern Caucasus and good farming practices help to maintain such biodiversity (GE)

(GE)

Professor Tortladze and Tamara, daughter of professor Kartvelishvili, at the Georgian Zootechnical-Veterinary University. Many of the scientific educational tools have been preserved thanks to the university staff who protected them from vandalism during the civil war (GE)

Microscopic examination of beetles by Giorgi Chaladze, an entomology student at the Institute of Zoology in Tbilisi (GE)

(GE)

Thousand of years of farming have shaped the landscapes in order to increase agricultural production and maintain biodiversity of cultivated and wild species (GE)

(GE)