14 Jun
Uncategorized

The beneficiaries of Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2 Project, lead farmers paid a visit to France

As part of the “Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project, in June 2024 a group of lead farms visited to France. This exchange was hosted by Coopex Montbéliarde, the world’s largest and most innovative Montbéliarde breeding programme. With a prominent presence in over 60 countries and an 82% market share in France, Coopex Montbéliarde has a longstanding reputation for excellence, collaborating with farmers globally for over 40 years.

The Armenian delegation’s first activity was the acquisition of 64 pedigree heifers from Coopex Montbéliarde. This purchase was a strategic investment to enhance the genetic quality and productivity of livestock back in Armenia, reflecting the project’s commitment to advancing local agricultural practices through global partnerships.

Following this, the farmers visited the gen’AI Semene production center, a hub for artificial insemination techniques. Here, the participants gained valuable insights into modern reproductive technologies that are crucial for efficient and effective livestock breeding. This exposure is expected to contribute significantly to improving herd genetics and productivity in Armenia.

The itinerary also included a visit to a modern dairy farm in Besançon. This provided the Armenian farmers with a firsthand look at advanced dairy farming practices, including herd managementand milking procedures. Thanks to these meetings, farmers gained new knowledge that they can apply in their farms.

The itinerary also included a visit to a modern dairy farm in Besançon. This provided the Armenian farmers with a firsthand look at advanced dairy farming practices, including herd management, milking procedures, and overall farm operations. Observing these practices in action offered practical knowledge that the farmers could adapt and implement in their own operations.

The final destination of the visit was the Cheese Storing Cave “Comté Marcel Petite” in Fort Saint-Antoine. This unique experience allowed the farmers to familiarize themselves with traditional and modern techniques of cheese aging and storage. The insights gained here are invaluable for improving the quality and variety of dairy products produced in Armenia, potentially opening up new markets and opportunities.

Overall, the exchange visit to France, facilitated by the “Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project, funded by Austrian Development Agency.

13 Jun
Uncategorized

Opening ceremony of “Ahnidzor” guest house

On June 11, the opening ceremony of the “Ahnidzor” guest house took place in the Ahnidzor settlement of Tumanyan community of Lori region. The guest house was built with the support of the Living Landscapes of Armenia for Market Development (LILA) project. In Armenia, the project is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and implemented by the WWF Caucasus in Armenia (WWF-Armenia) in partnership with Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO.

“Ahnidzor” guest house, once the residence of Armenian painter Khachik Gharabekyan, has been renovated and turned into a unique guest house. With the “Artist Residency” concept, it offers guests unforgettable experiences, cultural events, and nature based experiences, merging nature and art seamlessly.

The event was attended by the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland in  Armenia and Deputy Regional Director of Swiss Cooperation South Caucasus Ursula Läubli, the Director of WWF Armenia Karen Manvelyan, the Head of Tumanyan Community of Lori region, Suren Tumanyan, and the Administrative Head of Ahnidzor Settlement, Arman Matevosyan, as well as representatives of tourism companies.

The event started with a welcome speech delivered by the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland in Armenia and Deputy Regional Director of Swiss Cooperation South Caucasus Ursula Läubli, who emphasized the importance of such initiatives’ existence in the regions of Armenia, as they contribute to the communities’ development by new jobs creation.

Ms. Läubli was followed by the director of WWF Armenia, Karen Manvelyan, who mentioned the importance of living in harmony with nature and the fact that similar to “Ahnidzor” guesthouses have conceptual fundamentals aimed at nature preservation.

Arman Matevosyan, the Administrative Head of Ahnidzor settlement, expressed hope that the only guest house in the community will become a favorite place for tourists in a short period of time.

The red ribbon cutting ceremony and greetings were followed by a tour of the guest house.

12 Jun
NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM

The visit of Ursula Laubli, the Deputy Regional Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation to the “Loreni” teahouse

On June 11, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland in Armenia and Deputy Regional Director of Swiss Cooperation South Caucasus Ursula Läubli accompanied by Alla Ghazaryan, the coordinator of the Living Landscapes of Armenia for Market Development (LILA) project and Mkrtich Ayvazyan, the Chairman of the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO, visited the beneficiary of the project, “Loreni” tea house owned by Mariam Yeganyan IE.
The teahouse was constructed with the support of the Living Landscapes of Armenia for Market Development (LILA) Project. The tea plants collected from mountains of Lori Region are dried directly in the tea room and served to the guests.
The Living Landscapes of Armenia for Market Development (LILA) project is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and implemented by the WWF Caucasus in Armenia (WWF-Armenia) in partnership with Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO.
10 Jun
Uncategorized

Participation in the “Yerevan Wine Days” festival

June 7-9 with the support of 3 projects implemented by “Strategic Development Agency” NGO: Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2, Modernizing Vocational Education and Training in Agriculture in Armenia (MAVETA) and  Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia (LILA) several beneficiaries of the above mentioned projects  participated in the Yerevan Wine Days festival.

The booths of four companies: “Berd Dairy”, “Elada”, “Sis-Alp” and “Artcheese” presented a variety of cheeses made from natural milk. The other booths surprised the participants of the festival with a delicious assortment of “Poonj” preserves and aromatic “Berkri” and “Kria” brand wines obtained from high-quality grapes.

The booths were among the most crowded at the festival.

The “Yerevan Wine Days” festival aims to present the work of Armenian winemakers, promote the sale and export of wine, and show the entire palette of local wines

10 Jun
NEWSARM, NEWSENG, NEWSENG, NEWSENG, NEWSENG, NEWSENG

Trainings for farmers’ skills and abilities development

During May-June, 2024 a series of trainings on gender equality, milk hygiene and seed production was organized for the farmers of RA Syunik, Shirak and Gegharkunik regions within the framework of the “Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project. “Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project is implemented by Strategic Development Agency NGO with financial support of the Austrian Development Agency, the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation.

126 farmers participated in the trainings. During the training, the farmers were informed about the right milking technics and hygiene requirements, the actions aimed at improving the quality of milk and increasing the quantity of milk.

Additionally, participants of the trainings were also provided with consultancy on cultivating sainfoin, seeding techniques, and optimal seed cycling periods.

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