On November 13-17, within the framework of the “Modernizing Vocational Education and Training in Agriculture in Armenia” (MAVETA) project, the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO organized a training for partner farmers of Syunik and Lori and the teachers of Goris and Stepanavan State Agricultural Colleges, who will teach with dual approach the specialty of “Farm Business Management”.

The training was conducted by the Swiss expert Stefan Dubach. During the training, the specifics of teaching process organization, the content of teaching materials and manuals to be developed were discussed with the participants.

As a result of the training, the participants were able to choose the format that will allow to evaluate the knowledge and abilities acquired by the apprentice.

Through group work, the participants formulated the learning goal of each module and the tools to achieve that goal.

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).

On 14^th of November within the frameworks of the project “Livestock development in Armenia: South- North 2” the steering committee meeting was organized in Sisian municipality. The above-mentioned project is implemented by the “Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO and financed by the Austrian Development Agency, the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation.

Deputy Director of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) Nora Alanakyan, representatives of the RA Ministry of Economy, the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and representatives of RA Syunik, Gegharkunik and Shirak regional administrations and beneficiary communities were present at the steering committee meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was to present the implemented project interventions, the results achieved and to discuss planned activities for the next year.

The meeting started with a welcome speech of chairman of the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO Mr. Mkrtich Ayvazyan, who thanked the participants for their presence and highlighted the importance of organizing similar events outside of Yerevan, in the regions of Armenia.

Mr. Yeghiazar Davtyan, the Leading Specialist of the local self-government policy department of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Mr. Tigran Aleksanyan, the acting head of the livestock breeding department of the Ministry of Economy, Mrs. Nora Alanakyan, Deputy Director of the Austrian Development Agency, and Mr. Armen Hakobjanyan, the Head of Sisian community also delivered the welcoming speeches.

Armen Hakobjanyan, the head of the Sisian community, expressed his gratitude for holding the meeting in Sisian, then emphasized the importance of the project, as the majority of the community’s population is engaged in cattle breeding.

At the meeting, a decision was made to hold the next steering committee meeting in Amasia community of Shirak region of RA.