You wouldn't say that Pedro lacks ambition.

This Armenian, raised in the States from the age of 9, purchased 112 hectares of land in the village of Bagaran, just this side of the Armenian border with Turkey, in 2008.

Pedro has already planted walnut and apple saplings on 4 hectares.

What inspired Pedro, who has born in Iran, to invest his hard earned savings into a patch of earth so close to western Armenia, at the confluence of the Akhurian and Arax Rivers?

"I fell in love with this place the first time I saw it. Not far are the villages of Bagaran and Yervandashat. There's the Arax River and Turkey on the other side," he explains.

Pedro was 33 when he decided to pull up stakes in the U.S. and move to Armenia.

He had visited before and knew the move wouldn't be easy – that he would have to fight for certain things. Pedro came prepared to do just that.

People probably first heard of Pedro Zarokian in various internet forums. In order to transport his car and personal items to Armenia without paying any bribes he had to make 20 trips to 4 separate customs agencies in Armenia.

Caught in a never ending maze of bureaucracy and corruption, Pedro took his case public. He sent off public protests to customs officials, Armenia's migration agency and the Diaspora Ministry.

In a separate matter, Pedro and his neighbours launched an 8 month campaign against a karaoke club in their building. The music, played so loudly and late into the night, prevented residents from getting a decent night's sleep.

"Now, they are constructing a 12 story illegal building on Pushkin street, opposite our house. I and my neighbours are now locked in a battle against the developers. You have to fight to live normally in your home. In fact, you have to fight for everything," says Pedro.

Pedro came to Armenia by himself. His parents and siblings remained in the States. Pedro's father sometimes urges him to come back, but the son is set against returning.

"You either have the need inside you to live here or you don't. I have such a need."

At first, Pedro wanted to open a factory producing personal hygiene items; soap, shampoo, etc. When he realized that most of the raw materials would have to be imported, necessitating constant contact with customs, Pedro nixed the idea.

Back in the States, Pedro was secretly drawn to the idea of farming the land. That desire blossomed here in Armenia.

"There are so many people into farming in the U.S. and the sector is really developed. It wouldn't have made sense for me to start farming there. But here in Armenia, you can really make a difference by introducing new farming methods and technologies."

Pedro also finds that working the land is calming and pleasurable, despite the difficulties involved.

"My plan was to create something from nothing in Armenia. Why should you import this or that if you can make it here. It's a shame that much of the food is imported rather than home grown."

Pedro told me that a major problem facing local agriculture is that villagers lease large expanses of land, not with the intention of farming, but rather in the hope of selling the land to prospective buyers – whether Armenians from the diaspora or other foreigners.

There are large tracts of land adjacent to the border that aren't being cultivated due to irrigation problems.

It took Pedro one full year to get all the permits to install irrigation pipes and water pumping units. Given the large amount of water seepage during irrigation, Pedro is now planning to deploy a drip irrigation system.

There is also the problem of pilferage. A week after Pedro installed electricity wires half of them were stolen. It was a $500 setback.

The culprits were never found. Pedro was forced to build a small cabin for a guard who watches over the land at night.

Pedro makes a point to visit his land almost every day to monitor the work going on. Usually, there are 2-4 workers and from 10-20 when the fields have to be cleared of stones and debris.

Gevorg, a resident of the nearby village of Vanand, has been working for Pedro for the past nine months. The man planted a stand of apricot trees three years ago and has another 3-4 years to wait until they produce fruit.

Next spring, Pedro plans to sow grapes on 2-3 hectares of land. He also wants to plant more walnut trees.

He says that an anti-hail station is also on the agenda once the revenues start to trickle in.

Pedro anticipates an income stream in 4-5 years and says that a reprocessing unit is also a possibility down the road. The young entrepreneur assured me that he's taken stock of all the risks involved when it comes to doing business here.

"Hopefully, no one will bother me during the next 4-5 years. I am moving slowly with measured investments. This way I won't lose my shirt all at once. I'll expand my holdings a little each year."

The young man hopes that Armenia will become a law abiding country by then and that tax officials or larger business interests won't make things difficult for him.

"I am ready for any struggle. I follow the law and don't pay bribes. I'll take any anyone to court, even government officials, who do anything illegal. I'll resist whatever way I can. The more people play by the rules and demand justice from the courts, the entire judicial system will be forced to clean up its act," Pedro says.

He argues that feudalism reigns in Armenia and that the country is divided amongst a handful of feudal lords who can do as they please.

"It's like the feudal system in England 300-400 years ago. It's a non-national model and we will not be able to preserve the country if it continues. It's up to the new generation to put a halt to it. The system must be demolished and everyone will be held accountable for their actions."

Pedro says that he finds many in Armenia to be selfish and indifferent to the plight of others. As proof, he points to the scuffles to get ahead in lines at the stores or the fact that many drivers ignore the rules of the road. There is no tradition of common courtesy he argues.

But he doesn't regret moving to Armenia.

"It's my country, our country. I knew it wouldn't be easy. If I can't carry on here it would mean that I've failed."