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Training for the farmers of Khachaghbyur and Mets Masrik settlements of Vardenis enlarged community

On 20-21 of February, within the framework of the “Resilience and Economic recovery of Border Communities in Armenia (#REBCA) Project the training was organized on the topic of best practices in livestock management and the features of fodder crop cultivation in the conditions of climate change for the farmers of Khachaghbyur and Mets Masrik settlements of Vardenis enlarged community.

Vahe Hovhannisyan, the project manager at “Strategic Development Agency” NGO, before the training shortly presented the “Resilience and Economic recovery of Border Communities in Armenia Project’s purpose and principles and the actions to be implemented in the above-mentioned communities. More than 100 participants attended the meetings.

“Resilience and Economic recovery of Border Communities in Armenia (#REBCA) Project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by the UN World Food Programme (UN WFP) in partnership with the World Vision Armenia (WVA), Child Development Foundation (CDF) and Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO.

Resilience and Economic Recovery of Border Communities in Armenia” Project aims to improve crisis resilience in the border settlements of Vardenis (Gegharkunik), Sisian (Syunik), and Jermuk (Vayots Dzor) communities by providing humanitarian and economic support.

Training for farmers of Tegh, Goris, Tatev, Shinuhayr and Khot communities of Syunik marz

On February 9-10, within the framework of the “Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project implemented by the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO, the trainings for farmers from Tegh, Goris, Tatev, Shinuhayr and Khot communities of Syunik Marz were held on the following topics “Maintaining of animal health and the advantages of artificial insemination” and “Improving the yield and nutritional quality of forage crops”.

During the trainings, the farmers were introduced to the measures of animal health protection, the advantages of artificial insemination used for breed characteristics’ improvement, and the basics of effective fodder production.

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Training for capacity building of farmers of Sisian enlarged community

On 7-8 of February, within the framework of the “𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐚” Project a training was organized on the topic of best practices in livestock management and the features of fodder crop cultivation in the conditions of climate change for the farmers of Sarnakunk, Noravan and Aghitu settlements of Sisian enlarged community.

Vahe Hovhannisyan, the project manager at “Strategic Development Agency” NGO, during the training presented the “𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐚” Project’s purpose and principles and the actions to be implemented in the above-mentioned communities.

During the course, the participants gained new knowledge about animal behavior and care, feeding and efficient fodder production.

“𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐚” project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by the UN World Food Programme (UN WFP) in partnership with the World Vision Armenia (WVA), Child Development Foundation (CDF) and Strategic Development Agency (SDA).

“Resilience and Economic Recovery of Border Communities in Armenia” Project aims to improve crisis resilience in the border settlements of Vardenis (Gegharkunik), Sisian (Syunik), and Jermuk (Vayots Dzor) communities by providing humanitarian and economic support.

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Annual meeting of the stakeholder dialogue platform of VET donor organizations

On February 7, within the framework of the project “Modernizing Vocational Education and Training in Agriculture in Armenia” (MAVETA), the “Strategic Development Agency” (SDA) NGO organized the regular annual meeting of the stakeholder dialogue platform of VET donor organizations.

The stakeholder dialogue platform was created in 2017, within the framework of the “VET Development in Syunik Marz” project, in close cooperation with the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.

The platform unites donor organizations operating in the field of VET and those interested structures that contribute to the development of the VET system in Armenia, with the aim of effectively coordinating initiatives in the field, sharing the experience and achievements of implemented programs, as well as discussing planned actions.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Swiss Development and Cooperation in Armenia, UNDP and other local and international institutions.

Mrs. Araksia Svajyan, the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Mr. Werner Thut, the Deputy Regional Director of the Swiss Cooperation for the South Caucasus, and Mr. Beka Urushadze, the Regional Director of HEKS/EPER South Caucasus addressed the conference with the welcoming speeches.

Mrs. Araksia Svajyan, the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, in her welcoming speech thanked the international and local partners, stressing that the development of agricultural specialties is strategically important for the economy of Armenia.

“We should try to make the VET system better by cooperating with the private sector, in this regard the legislative reforms and training for teachers are of high importance”-the Deputy Minister highlighted.

The speech of the Deputy Minister was followed by the speech of Werner Thut, the Deputy Regional Director of the Swiss Cooperation for the South Caucasus, who presented the Swiss experience and highlighted the importance of close collaboration between private and public sectors in VET.

During the meeting, the project “Modernizing Vocational Education and Training in Agriculture in Armenia” (MAVETA), the “Armenia Workforce Development Activity” AWDA project, as well as the projects in the Preliminary and VET fields were presented and the possibilities of cooperation between different projects were discussed.

During the group discussions, it was possible to discuss the issues such as: the involvement of the private sector in VET, the need for teacher training and the steps for teacher’s motivation increase.

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).

Discussions in Syunik Region for curriculum development with dual-approach

In the framework of “Modernizing VET in Agriculture in Armenia” MAVETA project regional workshop-discussion was organized in Khot settlement of Syunik Region from 31st of January to  3rd of February, 2023 for the revision of the educational curricula of Junior Veterinarians, Milk and Dairy technologists and Farm manager professions.

Employers from the aforementioned sectors of the enlarged communities of Goris and Sisian, teachers from VET colleges, and representatives from other partner organizations attended the workshop.

The workshop was facilitated by Johannes Brunner who is a lecturer and adviser at the School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences of the Bern University of Applied Science.