47-year-old Armine lives in Khachaghbyur rural settlement of Vardenis enlarged community of Gegharkunik marz. Armine is engaged in animal husbandry. Even the difficulties could not affect Armine’s optimism and ability to strive for more.
Armine was born in Yerevan. After getting married, she moved to Khachaghbyur rural settlement of Vardenis enlarged community. Initially she was engaged in trade and when she had a success, she started buying cows with the money she earned. At first, she has bought 2-3 cattle. At the same time her parents gave her 3-4 pigs as a gift and she started to enlarge the farm. She sold the born piglets and bought a heifer instead. As Armine notes: “I have always had difficulties, but I have always been optimistic. I sold the new born calves and paid off the loans. Thanks to God, now I have two apartments bought by my own efforts and lots of lands that I plan to cultivate.”
Armine mainly sells calves to fellow villagers, and with the money she buys land or dairy cows. She processes some part of milk by her own, the other part she sells to Rosa 1 agricultural cooperative operating in Khachaghbyur (dairy production). The main product she produces is homemade cheese. The number of cows is currently 10, and 4 have been injured recently and Armine had to sell the meat. As Armine notes, she has never had a problem of selling the cheese and sour-cream of her produce, the demand is always more than she is able to produce in her modest conditions.
In 2023, Armine participated in the REBCA project, received 1.6 ha of barley and sainfoin seed as a technical assistance. She bought 0.4 ha of seed by her own finances and sowed total 2 ha of land. If the weather conditions will be favorable, she expects that from 1 ha will yield 8 tons of grass harvest (400 hacks*20kg) of sainfoin grass, and 2 ha of barley will yield 3-4 tons next year.