02 Jul
NEWSENG

IADAAM Advancing Drip Irrigation Practices in Ararat Region

Within the framework of the “Development of Irrigated Agriculture in Ararat and Armavir Marzes” (IADAAM) project, the AEST – Agricultural Extension Service teams from Vedi and Artashat, under the leadership of Vedi Coordinator Vardan Ivanyan, conducted a joint field visit to farmers specializing in high-value crops who actively implement drip irrigation systems.

During the visit, farmers provided comprehensive insights into their experiences, underscoring the critical benefits of drip irrigation, including:

🔹 Significant Water Savings – Reducing water consumption by 40-60% compared to conventional irrigation methods.

🔹 Enhanced Nutrient Management (Fertigation) – Simultaneous delivery of essential nutrients with irrigation water directly to the plants.

🔹 Higher Crop Yields – Consistent soil moisture fosters healthier and more productive crops.

🔹 Effective Weed Control – Targeted watering limits moisture availability to weeds, reducing their growth.

🔹 Soil Conservation – Controlled water flow prevents erosion and maintains soil structure.

🔹 Automation Compatibility – Easily integrates with modern agricultural technologies for improved efficiency.

🔹 Adaptability to Challenging Terrain – Proven effectiveness in uneven and hilly landscapes.

🔹 Environmental Sustainability – Minimizes water wastage and promotes sustainable farming practices.

Farmers expressed strong appreciation for the support provided by Agricultural Extension Services Teams (AEST), highlighting its vital role in enhancing awareness and delivering expert guidance that enables informed decision-making in agricultural operations. They also emphasized the ongoing need for continuous advisory support. Consequently, plans were established to organize additional individual and group consultation sessions. Moreover, farmers demonstrated their readiness to host peer-to-peer exchange visits and contribute their expertise during IADAAM AEST training programs, sharing best practices on drip irrigation and reservoir management.

During the visit, the IADAAM AES Vedi and Artashat teams identified several critical challenges that require timely and coordinated interventions:

▪️ Enhancing pesticide efficacy

▪️ Addressing labor shortages and optimizing workforce management

▪️ Promoting efficient utilization of water resources

▪️ Expanding adoption of drip irrigation systems and strengthening technical capacities

Such field engagements not only deepen farmer involvement in the project but also facilitate accurate data collection and comprehensive problem analysis, ultimately supporting the development of sustainable, long-term solutions.

Irrigated Agriculture Development in Ararat and Armavir marzes (IADAAM) project, financed through the European Union (EU) with implementation by the French Development Agency (AFD) 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.

30 Jun
Uncategorized

Closing Event of the “Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” Project

On June 30, the closing event of the “Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project was held, during which the results of the external evaluation were also presented.

In his welcome speech, Mkrtich Ayvazyan, Chairman of the Strategic Development Agency NGO, emphasized that livestock development has been a priority for the organization for over two decades. He noted that the “ Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project was a logical continuation of previous initiatives and highlighted the consistent and dedicated work of the project team.

Tatevik Sargsyan, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, commended SDA’s efforts and the project’s role in transforming and modernizing Armenia’s livestock sector.

Nora Alanakyan, Deputy Head of the Yerevan Office of the Austrian Development Agency, highlighted the importance of the project’s long-term impact and the integration of international best practices into Armenia’s livestock development strategies.

Vahe Hovhannisyan, Project Manager of the “Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project, briefly outlined the interventions and outcomes, noting that the external evaluation was conducted by Avenue Consulting Group LLC.

The consulting firm’s experts, Paruyr Asatryan and Tatev Mkrtchyan, presented the evaluation findings, which focused on the effectiveness, sustainability, targeted resource use, and social impact of the program.

Key Results of the Project:

  1. Activities were implemented in 70 settlements across three regions: Shirak, Gegharkunik, and Syunik.
  2. Beneficiaries reported increased income and new employment opportunities as a result of improved animal health, better milk quality, and increased productivity.
  3. Several project interventions have been integrated into state support programs, including initiatives on smart livestock, productivity enhancement, feed production, and pasture infrastructure improvement.
  4. The project addressed cross-cutting themes such as environmental protection, climate change, gender equality, and support for vulnerable groups.

The project’s conclusion highlighted that thorough initial planning, active beneficiary engagement, sectoral collaboration, and strong public-private partnerships were essential to its success.

“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.

30 Jun
Uncategorized

Armenian-Georgian Tourism Business Forum Held Under the RECONOMY Project

Within the framework of RECONOMY’s “Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness” project, the Armenian-Georgian Tourism Business Forum was held in Dilijan on June 21–22. The event brought together key stakeholders, including Lusine Gevorgyan, Chairperson of the Tourism Committee of the RA Ministry of Economy, Giorgi Sharvashidze, Ambassador of Georgia to Armenia, Mher Sahakyan, Project Manager at the Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO, the Presidents of the Armenian Tourism Federation and the Georgian Tourism Association, representatives of HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation, and local and Georgian tour operators.

The forum agenda focused on regional and bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector.

Mher Sahakyan, Project Manager of RECONOMY’s “Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness” presented the steps taken to develop regional tourism and outlined prospects for enhancing cooperation within the project’s framework. This was followed by a presentation from GovTech specialists, who shared findings from a recent study on the Armenian tourism market, specifically examining the digital transformation needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Participants engaged in discussions on how to enhance the competitiveness of joint Armenian-Georgian tourism packages. They identified key challenges faced by the tourism sectors in both countries and explored practical, collaborative solutions.

Following the forum, B2B meetings were held between Armenian and Georgian tourism companies, providing a platform for networking and business development.

Participants highly valued the outcomes of the forum and expressed strong interest in continuing and expanding cooperation, building on the insights gained during the discussions and B2B sessions.

The business forum and B2B meetings were organized in the margins of the “Mimino” Armenian-Georgian Cultural and Culinary Festival.

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.

30 Jun
NEWSENG, NEWSENG, NEWSENG, NEWSENG

Advancing Irrigation Solutions in Baghramyan and Norakert – A Step Forward Under IADAAM Project

As part of the Irrigated Agriculture Development in Ararat and Armavir Marzes (IADAAM) project, a joint visit was carried out to Parakar Municipality, followed by a field inspection of the Norakert and Baghramyan irrigation systems. The delegation included IADAAM Project Manager Karen Harutyunyan, IADAAM Team Leader Stefan Rosenow, AEST Armavir Coordinator Vardan Hambardzumyan, the AEST Armavir team, and the Heads of the Norakert and Baghramyan Communities. The discussion centered on the provision of four filtration systems to support 620 hectares of irrigated farmland in the Baghramyan and Norakert pilot areas. These filters will play a key role in enabling the shift toward efficient drip irrigation.

📍 Key highlights from the visit:

🔹 The meeting at Parakar Municipality facilitated an open dialogue on how best to cooperate in enhancing irrigation services. The municipality expressed interest in future partnership, recognizing the project’s potential to strengthen agricultural capacity in the region.

🔹 During the field visit, the team inspected the existing pipe system (but not operating) and potential filter station locations. Although parts of the current pipe networks are still in use for traditional furrow irrigation, the area shows strong potential for the expansion of drip systems. The timely procurement of filtration systems was emphasized, along with potential cost-sharing mechanisms through farmer group participation.

🔹 At the Baghramyan community office, project representatives met with local leadership and farmers who expressed enthusiasm about future collaboration, including forming agricultural cooperatives and exploring new high-value crop options such as pistachios. The community office is now ready for use, and preparations are underway for a drip irrigation field day, aimed at showcasing modern irrigation practices to local farmers. In addition, an informational workshop on cooperative development is planned for September 2025.

📌 Next steps:

  • Submit a request to the PIU for approval and support to procure the filter systems.
  • Share project communication platforms with local municipal leaders to ensure continued engagement.
  • Organize practical demonstrations and capacity-building sessions with interested farmer groups.

This visit marks an important milestone in promoting sustainable water use, climate-resilient agriculture and inclusive rural development in the target area.

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

Within IADAAM project a technical assistance component is implemented jointly by Agriconsulting Europe S.A, Avenue Consulting Group LLC, Strategic Development Agency NGO and 3R Strategy LLC consortium and aims to provide institutional support to the Ministry of Economy (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.

26 Jun
NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM

IADAAM Enhancing Advisory Excellence for Sustainable Agriculture in Armenia

The “Training Programme for AEST Staff: Minimum Operational Tools to Ensure Readiness and Performance of Advisory Staff” has successfully concluded, marking an important step in enhancing the professional capacity of Armenia’s Agricultural Extension Service Team (AEST). Designed to improve operational readiness and advisory performance, the training equipped participants with practical tools, methodologies, and guidelines to better support farmers and contribute to sustainable agricultural growth across the country.

The training focuses on four core areas:

🔹 The current state and development pathways of Armenia’s Agricultural Extension Services (AESs).

🔹 Integration of agricultural value chains and effective use of farm-level data.

🔹 Application of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to improve service delivery and ensure quality.

🔹 Innovative advisory models, technologies, and investment options for high-value crops in irrigated agriculture.

Through a dynamic blend of expert presentations, interactive discussions and real-world case studies, participants will enhance their ability to deliver client-centered, evidence-based advisory services.

This training is a meaningful step toward building a stronger, more responsive extension system – one that empowers farmers and accelerates agricultural transformation in Armenia.

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

Within IADAAM project a technical assistance component is implemented jointly by Agriconsulting Europe S.A, Avenue Consulting Group LLC, Strategic Development Agency NGO and 3R Strategy LLC consortium and aims to provide institutional support to the Ministry of Economy (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.

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