21 Oct
Uncategorized

ADA delegation visited ”ELOLA” dairy factory

A delegation from the Austrian Development Agency, led by Managing Director, Ambassador Friedrich Stift  visited the “ELOLA” dairy factory on October 16, as part of the “Livestock Development in Armenia: North-South 2” project, implemented by the Strategic Development Agency NGO.

The delegation included Walter Ehmeir, Head of the Bilateral Programs Department at the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Andreas Liebmann, Deputy Head of Section VII (responsible for Austrian Development Cooperation); Klaus Kapper, Head of the ADA’s Office in Yerevan; and Nora Alanakyan, Deputy Head of Office.

During their visit to the Verishen settlement in Syunik marz, the ADA delegation was accompanied by Vahe Hovhannisyan, project manager for “Livestock Development in Armenia: North-South 2.” Hovhannisyan provided an overview of the project’s measures and interventions, detailing their impact on farm development in the Goris community and surrounding areas, as well as the project’s achievements and recorded outcomes.

Harutyun Tsatryan, Executive Director of the “ELOLA” factory, shared a brief history of the cooperation with the Strategic Development Agency NGO, highlighting the support received through various implemented and ongoing projects, and underscoring the importance of training.

Tsatryan also mentioned another project, “Modernizing Education and Training in Agriculture in Armenia” (MAVETA), which is co-funded by the Austrian Development Agency. He discussed the experience of accepting apprentices from the Goris State Agricultural College and providing them with work opportunities through dual education.

In his remarks, Ambassador Friedrich Stift expressed an understanding of the challenges faced by the local population and added that support for similar development projects is always in the focus of their organization.

After the tour, the delegation had the opportunity to taste the factory’s products.

“Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project is implemented by “Strategic Development Agency” NGO and financed by the Austrian Development Agency, the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation.

16 Oct
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Training for MAVETA Project Partners

As part of the “Modernizing Vocational Education and Training in Agriculture in Armenia” (MAVETA) project, a training session titled “Working with Apprentices in a Company: Instructor Skills” was conducted for mentors and instructors from six partner colleges and private sector organizations involved in the project.
The training was led by HAFL expert Johannes Brunner from October 2 to 10 in the cities of Stepanavan, Yerevan, Goris, and Sisian.
During the course, college instructors and employers were introduced to contemporary mentoring techniques, effective use of learning materials, assessment methods, as well as strategies for providing feedback and motivating apprentices.
The training aimed to enhance the capabilities of MAVETA project partner educational institutions and private sector representatives, ensuring they can effectively engage apprentices in the workplace and facilitate a smooth transition from education to practical work.
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).
15 Oct
Uncategorized

New Cooperation within RECONOMY’s “Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness” Project

A partnership agreement has been signed between the Strategic Development Agency NGO and the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE) as part of RECONOMY’s Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness” project.

The project aims to identify the demand for digital solutions among small and medium enterprises in the tourism, agriculture and light industry sectors and support IT organizations operating in these sectors in providing innovative digital services and solutions based on demand. The project will contribute to the digital transformation of SMEs in the above sectors, ensuring the efficiency of their activities and the creation of new jobs.

In his remarks, Mkrtich Ayvazyan, chairman of the “Strategic Development Agency,” emphasized the organization’s commitment to supporting Armenian production and local businesses while ensuring they remain competitive with international partners in the field of innovation.

Sargis Karapetyan, executive director of the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises affirmed that promoting public-private partnerships through innovation is one of the union’s strategic goals, and they will provide essential services as part of this collaboration.

Following this, Mher Sahakyan, head of the “Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness” project, and UATE representatives discussed the upcoming tasks, schedule, and action plan.

RECONOMY is an inclusive and green economic development program of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), implemented by Helvetas in partnership with the Strategic Development Agency NGO and others in the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkan countries.

14 Oct
Uncategorized

Cheese Festival in Tashir

Within the “Modernizing Vocational Education and Training in Agriculture in Armenia” (MAVETA) project, Tashir Municipality organized a Cheese Festival with the support of the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO on October 10. The festival coincided with the celebration of Tashir city’s 180th anniversary.

The festival aimed to promote cheese-making as a vital profession that offers employment opportunities, raise public awareness about the activities of cheese and dairy product producers involved in the MAVETA project, connect students from Stepanavan State Agricultural College with potential employers and job openings, and encourage young people to consider careers in milk and dairy technology.

Twelve local cheese producers, along with various community organizations, showcased their products at individual booths.

Tashir residents and guests gathered in the city square were welcomed by Gor Asryan, the deputy governor of Lori, Edgar Arshakyan, the head of the Tashir community, Bishop Hakobyan, the leader of the Gugarats diocese, and other officials.

During the event, a historical overview was presented, and in honor of Tashir City Day, certificates of appreciation were awarded to individuals who contributed to the city’s development on behalf of the governor and the community head.

Deputy Governor Gor Asryan presented a letter of thanks to Mkrtich Ayvazyan, chairman of the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO for his contributions to social and economic activities and cooperation in Lori Marz.

Festival attendees explored the booths, sampled and purchased both traditional and innovative local cheeses, and watched live demonstrations of cheese-making techniques.

The event featured exhibitions of paintings, handicrafts, and 3D modeling, alongside a vibrant concert program. Performers included singers Sevak Amroyan and Sona, as well as the dance group from the Tashir Culture House and the “Sasun” dance ensemble, offering an ethnographic song-and-dance experience.

Additionally, the Automobile Federation of Armenia showcased its collection of retro cars at the festive occasion.

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).

08 Oct
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New Collaboration Between LILA and RECONOMY Projects

On October 4, a joint working discussion was held as part of the “Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia” (LILA) and RECONOMY’s “Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness” projects, with the participation of the representatives of the destination management organizations (DMOs), beneficiaries of the LILA project.

The primary objective of the meeting was to plan activities that would identify and engage families in the target settlements of the LILA project on the Like Local digital platform.

Alla Hovhannisyan, an expert on the “Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness” project, shared insights on the project’s areas of intervention, including tourism, and discussed their digitization experiences in the target regions of the RECONOMY project in Eastern Europe and the Balkans.

Alla Ghazaryan, coordinator of the LILA project, highlighted the project’s goal to develop sustainable and inclusive tourism in the regions of Lori, Vayots Dzor, Tavush, and Syunik. She emphasized the importance of offering authentic tourist experiences to visitors in Armenia and directing tourist flows to remote settlements by involving rural families in this initiative.

Gevorg Babayan, founder of the Like Local digital platform, provided an overview of the platform’s activities and shared international experiences. He expressed a commitment to including families living unique lifestyles in the target communities of the LILA project, enabling them to host tourists if they meet the criteria for joining the platform.

In this context, Karina Harutyan, project officer for “Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness,” underscored the critical role of destination management organizations in identifying these families and accurately collecting and digitizing their information.

During the meeting, memorandums of cooperation were signed between the destination management organizations and the Like Local digital platform.

LILA project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and implemented by the WWF Armenian Office (WWF-Armenia) in partnership with the Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO.

RECONOMY is an inclusive and green economic development program of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), implemented by Helvetas in partnership with the Strategic Development Agency NGO and others in the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkan countries.

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