Today, the National Steering Committee of the Global Environment Facility\'s (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) in Armenia approved two grant projects, addressing the OP-7 strategic initiative on Community-based Conservation of Threatened Ecosystems and Species, Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries, and Food Security and Local to Global Coalitions for Chemicals and Waste Management.

The GEF SGP is a funding facility, supporting community-based organizations that address global environmental concerns through small scale activities at the local level. The Programme supports grassroots initiatives in the focal areas of biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, protection of international waters, prevention of land degradation and phasing out of harmful chemicals including POPs. When addressing these issues, SGP also aims to meet objectives related to poverty reduction and empowerment of local population as integral aspects of sustainable development and environmental protection.