BP launches new project in Azerbaijan

BP and its co-venturers in the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG), Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC), Shah Deniz (SD), and South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) projects launched a major sustainable development initiative in support of the communities neighbouring BTC/SCP pipelines, BP reported on Tuesday.

The project is designed to provide sustainable income generation and capacity- building opportunities for community members involved in the agricultural sector.

The programme scope includes construction of 132 greenhouses, a community bakery and 96 bee keeping set-ups and equipment in addition to transference of skills and knowledge required to sustainably manage these businesses and facilities.

Within the project it is expected to open up additional markets, create new job opportunities and strengthen self help possibilities.

The realization of the project will help to increase business technical capacity among targeted beneficiaries, provide benefits to the environment including support for biodiversity, provide opportunities to reuse the project components by others within the same communities as well as other communities.

The project will be implemented by Ganja Agribusiness Association (GABA), which is a local non-governmental organization, in collaboration with the Azerbaijan State Agricultural University located in Ganja.

BP and co-ventures' contribution to the project is up to $800,000 while the communities themselves will contribute about $230,000 and GABA about $14,000.

The duration of the project is two years (November 2011 - November 2013).

According to Vice-President of BP, Seymour Khalilov, the company and its co-venturers have firm commitment to working closely with all of neighbouring communities to help them create development opportunities and obtain skills and knowledge that will ensure that these opportunities are sustainable.

He said that the initiative aims to provide significant agricultural business opportunities.


/Trend/