Arman Tatoyan pledges lower water rates for farmers

Arman Tatoyan, the prime ministerial candidate of the Wings of Unity alliance, vowed to sharply reduce irrigation water tariffs for smallholder farmers, saying affordable access to water is essential for sustaining rural livelihoods.

Tatoyan told residents in the lakeside community of Lchap on Saturday that under his plan, households cultivating non-commercial plots would pay dramatically lower rates – 500 drams for half a hectare and 1,000 drams for one hectare.

“This proposal is not about business interests, it is about farmers,” Tatoyan said. “If we want results, we must first provide opportunities. Water must be accessible so that farmers can till their land, harvest crops and support their families.”