16 Jun
Uncategorized

Uniting Nature, Community, and Tourism: A New Visitor Information Centre in Areni Opens with LILA Project Support

On June 13, the official opening ceremony of the “ARPA” Valley Cabin and Visitor Information Centre was held in the Areni community within the framework of the “Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia” (LILA) project. The newly established centre will serve as a key tourism information hub, fostering sustainable tourism development in Areni.

The furnishing of the facility, the development of new nature-based tourism experiences, comprehensive visibility and promotion activities, as well as the digitization of a hiking trail within the ARPA Protected Landscape were all implemented under LILA project.

The event brought together a number of key stakeholders, including Levon Aghasyan, Director of WWF Armenia, Alla Ghazaryan, LILA Project Coordinator, Arman Vemishyan, Director of the Armenian office of the Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) and Husik Sahakyan, Head of Areni Community.

In his welcoming remarks, Levon Aghasyan, Director of WWF Armenia, highlighted the importance of this initiative, noting that WWF Armenia prioritizes support for projects that promote both nature conservation and community development.

Alla Ghazaryan, LILA Project Coordinator, emphasized that the goal of developing new nature-based tourism services and enhancing the centre’s visibility is to better guide tourism flows in the region. She noted that this newly established centre is a vivid example of how nature, the tourism market and the local community can be brought together on a single platform.

Husik Sahakyan, Head of Areni Community, stated that the initiative is a significant achievement for the community, stressing that Areni now not only boasts a rich historical and cultural heritage but also has the capacity to warmly welcome tourists and impress them with its stunning natural beauty. He extended his gratitude to all partners who contributed to making this forward-looking initiative a reality.

The opening of the “ARPA” Visitor Information Centre marks a key milestone in Areni’s journey toward becoming a sustainable and nature-driven tourism destination. By uniting environmental preservation, local community engagement and tourism market development, LILA project continues to demonstrate how integrated efforts can create lasting impact. This centre will not only enhance the visitor experience but also empower the local community and promote responsible tourism in the region.

Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia (LILA) project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by WWF-Armenia in collaboration with SDA NGO.

12 Jun
NEWSARM

Field Visit to Maveta Partners

On June 10, a delegation led by Ursula Laubli, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Armenia and Deputy Regional Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), conducted a field visit partners of the “Modernizing Vocational Education and Training in Agriculture in Armenia” (MAVETA) project.

The delegation was accompanied by Mkrtich Ayvazyan, Chairman of the Strategic Development Agency NGO, Lilit Hovhannisyan, Team Leader of MAVETA project and Lilit Beglaryan, Vocational Education and Training (VET) Consultant.

In the Chambarak community of Gegharkunik region, the delegation visited the veterinary pharmacy operated by Sevak Sahakyan, a private sector partner of the project. They also met with a group of second-year veterinary students from Berd State Multifunctional College – currently engaged in apprenticeships, offering a valuable opportunity to observe the program’s dual education component in practice.

The visit featured discussions on a wide range of topics, including the organization of dual education, assessment and remuneration of apprentices’ work and college-employer cooperation.

The delegation continued to Berd, Tavush region, where the delegation met with the management and faculty of Berd State Multifunctional College – one of MAVETA Project’s VET partnes. Discussions focused on MAVETA project’s impact on the college’s teaching practices, programmatic interventions, the current status of dual education specialties, ongoing challenges, teacher capacity building and collaboration with the private sector.

The MAVETA project is funded by a broad coalition of international and local organizations led by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), including the Austrian Development Agency, the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Government of Armenia, the Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) NGO, Izmirlian Foundation, the Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO and Vanand Agro CJSC.

The project’s implementing partners are the GIZ and HEKS/EPER with the involvement of SDA and the School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences at the Bern University of Applied Sciences (HAFL).

12 Jun
Uncategorized

IADAAM AEST Team’s Visit to the Artashat WUA – Vedi Service Area

IADAAM Agricultural Extension Services (AEST) team conducted a field visit to the Artashat Water Users Association (WUA), specifically on the Vedi service area. During the visit, the team met with Engineer Hovhannes Safaryan to gather detailed information on the areas covered by the current irrigation infrastructure and assess its operational status and technical integrity.

The discussions also addressed current operational challenges within the system, and explored potential development pathways to enhance irrigation efficiency and promote the sustainable management of water resources.

Irrigated Agriculture Development in Ararat and Armavir marzes (IADAAM) project, financed through the European Union (EU) with implementation by the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement) is an integrated initiative aimed at transforming irrigated agriculture in Armenia.

Within IADAAM project a technical assistance component is implemented jointly by AESA – Agriconsulting Europe SA, Avenue Consulting Group LLC, Strategic Development Agency NGO and 3R Strategy LLC consortium and aims to provide institutional support to the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia (MoE) in the formulation of agricultural policies and reforms in priority areas, provide technical support to the MoE in the implementing project activities, ensure communication and reporting for the IADAAM project.

11 Jun
Uncategorized

Field Visit to SEIRA Project Beneficiaries

On June 10, a delegation led by Ursula Läubli, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Armenia and Deputy Regional Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in the South Caucasus, conducted a field visit to beneficiaries of the “Socio-Economic Integration of Refugees in Armenia” (SEIRA) project residing in the Chambarak community, Gegharkunik region.

The delegation was accompanied by Mkrtich Ayvazyan, Chairman of the Strategic Development Agency NGO, Vahe Hovhannisyan, SEIRA Project Manager, and the representatives of the UN World Food Programme Armenia.

The visit began at the Chambarak Community Hall, where the delegation met with Robert Ohanyan, First Deputy Head of the Community, along with community staff and representatives of the RA Integrated Social Service of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The discussion focused on the socio-economic challenges faced by forcibly displaced people from Artsakh settled in the community, ongoing state-supported programs and current interventions implemented under the SEIRA project.

The delegation also visited the Kalavan settlement, where they met with beneficiary families who have received support to engage in livestock farming. These families now benefit from a more stable and sustainable source of income as a result of project’s intervention.

The agenda further featured visits to families, supported through the UN World Food Programme (WFP) component of the SEIRA project.

The “Socio-Economic Integration of Refugees in Armenia” (SEIRA) project fosters socio-economic integration by improving food security, creating sustainable livelihoods, and empowering both refugees and host communities in Armenia, promoting resilience and economic growth through agricultural and business development.

The SEIRA project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and implemented by the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO and the UN World Food Programme.

09 Jun
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SEIRA Livestock Training for Forcibly Displaced Persons from Artsakh

As part of the “Socio-Economic Integration of Refugees in Armenia” (SEIRA) project, a short-term training course on “Best Practices in Livestock Management” was held on June 4 for forcibly displaced people from Artsakh and now residing in the enlarged communities of Sisian and Goris in the Syunik region.

The session began with a welcome and introduction by Vahe Hovhannisyan, SEIRA Project Manager, who outlined the project’s goals—namely, to foster the integration of displaced persons into local socio-economic life and contribute to the improvement of their living conditions.

Following the opening remarks, Areg Sarukhanyan, the trainer, provided an overview of the current state of livestock farming in Syunik. He discussed ongoing initiatives and outlined future prospects for the sector, emphasizing best practices and successful local examples.

This short-term training was designed to spark interest among displaced individuals, increase awareness of available opportunities, and encourage active engagement in livestock farming as a sustainable livelihood option.

The “Socio-Economic Integration of Refugees in Armenia” (SEIRA) project fosters socio-economic integration by improving food security, creating sustainable livelihoods, and empowering both refugees and host communities in Armenia, promoting resilience and economic growth through agricultural and business development.

The SEIRA project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and implemented by the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO and the UN World Food Programme.

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