Since 2008 VivaCell-MTS has given up AMD 165 million for the installation of 23 “Zenith” hail suppression systems in Armavir region June 5, 2012, Yerevan, Armenia Weather conditions are not always favorable to Armenian farmers. The country’s agriculture sustains huge material damage in terms of farmers’ crops and property each year. And the hail is responsible for about 50% of the total damage caused by different natural disasters. Very often hail precipitations lead to significant or even total losses of crops. In addition, the climate changes over the last decades have led to intensification of the hail precipitations. One feasible way to protect the cultivated fields from hail is the installation of anti-hail stations. Within this year alone VivaCell-MTS has made AMD 45 million of social investment in construction and installation of 8 units of “Zenith” hail suppression systems in Karakert, Lernagog, Shenik, Nor Artamet, and Argina villages of Armavir region. The farmers in these villages know very well the material damage hails can cause. During the last year, as per some estimations, they lost almost 60% of all the agricultural products. Automatically functioning Zenith hail suppression systems are controlled remotely by sending SMS messages from mobile phone, via cellular communication channels of VivaCell-MTS’ network, using a specially-defined tariff. These systems are functioning autonomously feeding from renewable energy source –solar power using solar PV panels. The Zenith hail suppression system is able to identify potential hail-bearing clouds and put the system into operation automatically. The basic technology of operation of such a system is well-known and well-proven. It is based on influence of high-power, vertically propagating shock waves on the atmosphere. Shock waves have impact on the structure of cumulonimbus clouds, avoiding thus preconditions for crystallization of water particles in the clouds and hail formation. “Frequent heavy hails previous springs have caused serious damage to farms in a number of villages. They cause serious damages to Armenian agricultural sector, a priority and at the same time, one of the most vulnerable and risky spheres of the economy, where the crops, the output of time-consuming hard work and considerable investment, can disappear easily as a result of natural disaster in just several minutes. This is an enormous loss for both the national economy and the private sector of farmers. Hail suppression systems will help increase the profitability of agriculture, and create better quality of life for the population of the region in the long run,” commented VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian. For this purpose, from 2008 to 20101VivaCell-MTS has allotted AMD 120 million and AMD 45 million in 2012, thus totaling to AMD 165 million for 4 years. By making this considerable investment in rural communities, VivaCell-MTS wants to reduce the loss of harvest to the minimum and to help farmers draw themselves up to their full height by generating income necessary for future sustainable development. Thanks to the installation of anti-hail stations in 5 villages, working with almost 90% efficiency, additional 800 hectares of agricultural land in Armavir marz will be protected since now. The “Zenith” hail suppression systems are developed and produced by “Barva” Innovation Center that uses local intellectual and production resources.

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