Fruit orchards have been established for low-income families in Lerik.

On October 30, fruit orchards were established for low-income families in the Lerik district through a joint initiative of the IDEA Public Union, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

During the tree planting activities, 312 walnut trees were planted on a 2-hectare area allocated in the Lerik district. The established fruit orchards were distributed among low-income families living in the Lerik district for their free use. These families will have the opportunity to care for the orchards, harvest the produce, earn income, and improve their financial well-being.

The pilot project for planting fruit trees was initiated in April 2017 at the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, founder and head of the IDEA Public Union, and Goodwill Ambassador of the FAO. Within the framework of the project, the first fruit orchard was established in Ismayilli, followed by orchards in Shamkir, Agstafa, Tovuz, Agdash, Gakh, Lankaran, Beylagan, Sabirabad, Agjabadi, and Barda districts, and made available to low-income families, including veterans of the Karabakh war and families of martyrs.

The socio-economic significance of the project lies in the fact that establishing such orchards not only improves the well-being of the population but also contributes to reducing the country's dependence on imported agricultural products.

Within the project, nearly 15,000 fruit trees, including hazelnut, pomegranate, apricot, feijoa, persimmon, walnut, and apple varieties, were planted, and 41 low-income families were provided with fruit orchards.

As part of the project to establish fruit orchards for low-income families, tree planting activities will be organized in Quba, Imishli, Gazakh, Gabala, and Goygol districts during October–November, and in the future, in other districts of the country as well.

It should be noted that more than 200 local young volunteers participated in the tree planting event organized in the Lerik district. IDEA, being attentive to the environment, expresses its gratitude to all volunteers who took part in the event and to the organizations that supported its implementation.