23 Jun
NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM

MAVETA “Farming as a Business” Five-Day Intensive Training for Forcibly Displaced Persons from Artsakh

Innovative ideas, business thinking and modern agriculture approaches came together during the five-day intensive training course titled “Farming as a Business”, organized within the framework of the MAVETA project.

Launched on May 16 in Syunik and June 17 in Gegharkunik, the training brought together forcibly displaced persons from Artsakh and representatives of vulnerable local groups. The goal was to enhance participants’ knowledge and skills to approach agriculture from a business perspective, foster strategic thinking and contribute to the development of sustainable income-generating opportunities.

Throughout the course, participants gained practical knowledge in developing business ideas, as well as in strategic, marketing and financial planning, with a strong focus on business plan development.

Following the training, each participant received individual consultations aimed at providing professional guidance in the development and effective implementation of their own agricultural business plans.

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).

19 Jun
NEWSENG

Strategic Development Agency: Leading the Way in Sustainable Tourism and Innovation in Armenia

On June 18, Alla Ghazaryan, Project Coordinator of the Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia (LILA) project, took the stage as a panelist at the Hospitality Investment Forum Yerevan 2025. Participating in the session on Regional Tourism Clusters and Community-Based Development, Alla highlighted Strategic Development Agency’s (SDA) success in driving Armenia’s tourism transformation.

In recent years, Strategic Development Agency (SDA) has taken bold steps to reshape Armenia’s tourism landscape – placing sustainability, local empowerment, and innovation at the core of its mission.

Through initiatives like the Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia (LILA) project, implemented in partnership with WWF Armenia, SDA is not only boosting community-led tourism but also redefining how it should look: green, inclusive, and responsible. From hiking-trails to local guesthouses, LILA supports communities in turning their natural and cultural heritage into lasting economic opportunities.

But SDA’s impact doesn’t stop with nature-based tourism.

Through the RECONOMY-supported Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness project, SDA is helping Armenia’s tourism sector embrace the digital future – empowering local businesses with tools for promotion, e-commerce, and smart management, while connecting rural destinations to global platforms.

Whether it’s integrating international service standards or championing green infrastructure, SDA continues to position Armenia as a forward-thinking, competitive destination – where sustainability meets opportunity.

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.

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.

16 Jun
Uncategorized

LILA “Bee Home” Honey Tasting Room with Apitherapy Service Opens in Areni

On June 16, the official opening ceremony of the “Bee Home” Honey Tasting Room took place in the village of Areni, established within the framework of the “Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia” (LILA) project.

This newly opened tasting room introduces an innovative approach model for promoting locally produced honey by integrating traditional beekeeping with elements of wellness tourism.  Visitors are invited not only to taste a variety of high-quality honeys made from local wildflowers, but also experience the therapeutic benefits of apitherapy in a specially designed beehive therapy room – offering natural methods to support physical and mental well-being.

The “Bee Home” Honey Tasting Room stands as a successful example of a community-driven initiative aimed at introducing creative ways to showcase local products while fostering the development of wellness tourism. Supported by the LILA project, this initiative represents a significant step toward marks an important step toward diversifying the local economy and expanding nature-driven tourism experiences – creating new opportunities both for local residents and visitors to 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.

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
NEWSENG, NEWSENG, NEWSENG, NEWSENG

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).

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