01 Sep
Uncategorized

With small steps towards big dream

Ani Sukiasyan was born in 2002 in the town of Tashir, Lori Region. Despite her young age, she has been working at “Lorva Kat” company for several years.

In 1998 my parents founded a small dairy factory, which today, thanks to their hard work, became one of the famous dairy companies in Tashir.

My whole life, my childhood and youth, was spent in that company. After finishing school, without hesitation, I decided to enter Stepanavan State Agricultural College named after Professor A. Kalantar, Department of Dairy Technology.

In 2019, while still being a student, I participated in the contest of young technologists held in Georgia and due to the cheese I made, I won the first place.

After three years and six months of studying at the college, I entered the Faculty of Food Technology of ANAU and started working in the cheese and dairy factory founded by my parents.

I was also entrusted to be the head of apprenticeship and organize the practice of the students studying in the faculty of dairy technology at Stepanavan State Agricultural College for the academic year of 2021-2022.

Development of technologies and modernization of work no longer require physical strength. Today, education and the introduction of scientific methods are crucial. I’d want to underline that while picking a career, don’t consider if it’s a “male” or “female” one. Let your preference be your guide.

Dairy products are essential for the human nutrition, it is considered indispensable and has an exceptional importance in children’s diet, especially in the early stages of their lives.

I have had a dream since I was a child, which I will try to fulfill at any cost: production of infant milk powder and ice cream in Armenia. To produce milk mixture large volumes of milk is needed to be collected, which is not possible under these conditions, but I hope that one day I will fulfill my dream and establish a factory that will become a worthy competitor to the imported brands.

I have already started the path to fulfill my dream, this year with the help of my parents I initiated the establishment of the ice cream factory, which I hope will soon delight the children of Lori region with its products.

30 Aug
Uncategorized

Love gives strength

Marine Zadayan, a female farmer from Verishen settlement of Goris community, is filled with enviable enthusiasm and boundless love when she talks about her animals. She has raised four children, has been involved in animal husbandry for more than 35 years, and has worked as a teacher for 25 years.

Only those who know me can tell how much I adore and care about my animals. My interest in animal husbandry and animals stems from my youth. My parents resided in the village and had a large number of farm animals. Despite getting an education and becoming a teacher, I never ceased caring for animals. From a young age, I used to take the animals to the highlands and make cheese, butter, and yogurt.

I enjoy serving my guests cheese prepared from my animals’ milk and fresh mountain thyme picked by my own hands. If we want our country to be strong and developed, I believe we should engage in agriculture. “The famine came, and the cow saved us,” is a good proverb that I often quote.

Cattle breeding is a challenging work, but if done with love, all challenges may be overcome.

I disagree with the notion that there is nothing to do in the villsge. Farming is a viable career option in Armenia. Agriculture consists of several distinct components, including animal husbandry. But if you dislike dealing with animals, you might like doing greenhouse or other work.

As a farmer, I have faced all challenges with honor and pride, and I have never stopped working to develop my farm, increase the number of animals, and improve their conditions.

Currently, I have 12 small ruminants and 30 cattle, and I have built a new barn and refurbished my modest shelter in the highlands where I take my animals for grazing.

Aside from farm management, I am also a history teacher and the deputy director in charge of disciplinary management at Akner settlement’s secondary school.

My passion for education and science was passed down to my children, all of them graduated from high school with honors and moved on to pursue the higher education.

29 Aug
SuccessStoriesENG, SuccessStoriesENG, SuccessStoriesENG, SuccessStoriesENG

There are no coincidences

Arpine Hakobjanyan has been working at the “Elola” milk processing factory since 2016. She started her professional career as a dairy lab technician, then in a short period of time she registered professional growth, occupying the position of the laboratory manager.

Years ago, when I was still 27 years old, I accidentally found a job at the “Elola” milk processing factory. While studying at Goris State University, I acquired the qualification of a specialist in biochemistry, and after several years of non-professional work, I was looking for a job related to my qualification.

I saw the announcement of “Elola” company about the vacant position of a dairy laboratory technician and decided to try my hand at it.

The profession of milk and dairy technologist and laboratory technician is very interesting. You just have to try. I am sure that as soon as you go to a workshop and apply gained knowledge in practice, you will immediately fall in love with the profession and your work.

I got hired very easily, and after two-month probation period, my success story and professional growth began. My love for work and determination to excel did not go unnoticed by my employer, and within a short period of time I was offered the position of the quality control officer, and after 4 years I became the manager of the laboratory. Currently, I am entrusted to coordinate the process of obtaining ISO 22000 food safety management system (FSMS) certification.

While working at “Elola” LLC I received an offer to teach at the Goris State Agricultural Collage after professor Kh. Yeritsyan, in the faculty of milk and dairy technology.

I consider myself a lucky person because, even small, but I have my own investment in creating quality dairy products, I am happy that I am doing what I love and enjoy.

I am glad that I have the opportunity not only to apply my knowledge at work, but also to transfer it to my students.

I have been working in the field of dairy production for 7 years and I have never regreted my choice of career path.

Every single day I go to work with great pleasure and I strive to make more efforts to have my own contribution in safe food and quality products creation.

28 Aug
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The Desire To Save Lives

Born in Kapan, Syunik Region, Rima Harutyunyan dreamed of becoming a doctor since she was a child, but by chance, she became a skilled veterinarian.

Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a doctor and saving lives. After finishing school I tried to enter Yerevan State Medical University, but my grades were not sufficient and I had to make a quick choice. I decided to enroll in the preparatory course of the Yerevan Zootechnical Veterinary Institute, with the expectation of transferring to the Medical University from the 2nd or 3rd year. However, contrary to the expectations, I stayed at the same university for six years.

Due to high performance in the 2nd year, I was given the opportunity to transfer to another educational institution, but the internships organized by the Yerevan Zootechnical Veterinary Institute were so interesting that I decided to stay at the same institute to continue my education and become a veterinarian.

After graduation, I got a job at the Animal Insemination Station in Kapan as a veterinarian and insemination technician. A year later, I started working in the same institution as an epidemiologist. After some time, I joined “VaMax” company as the chief veterinarian of the farm and worked there for 10 years.

Quite complicated, but in the end it’s a very rewarding work.

In the case of humans, providing medical care is easy, which cannot be said for the animals, the work of veterinarians is more complicated. Providing medical care in the case of animals is more difficult because animals do not talk or express their pain, and even their owners often do not know what the problem is.

I, who once dreamed of becoming a doctor, became a beloved and respected veterinarian. Having worked in the field for 40 years and having treated countless animals, I founded my own veterinary center. Currently I work at the “Center for Agricultural Services” SNPO and continue to provide veterinary services in the rural areas of Kapan community. I never regretted becoming a veterinarian and devoting the best years of my youth to this profession.

09 Apr
SuccessStoriesENG

Armine’s optimism became the key to her success

47-year-old Armine lives in Khachaghbyur rural settlement of Vardenis enlarged community of Gegharkunik marz. Armine is engaged in animal husbandry. Even the difficulties could not affect Armine’s optimism and ability to strive for more.

Armine was born in Yerevan. After getting married, she moved to Khachaghbyur rural settlement of Vardenis enlarged community. Initially she was engaged in trade and when she had a success, she started buying cows with the money she earned. At first, she has bought 2-3 cattle. At the same time her parents gave her 3-4 pigs as a gift and she started to enlarge the farm. She sold the born piglets and bought a heifer instead. As Armine notes: “I have always had difficulties, but I have always been optimistic. I sold the new born calves and paid off the loans. Thanks to God, now I have two apartments bought by my own efforts and lots of lands that I plan to cultivate.”

Armine mainly sells calves to fellow villagers, and with the money she buys land or dairy cows. She processes some part of milk by her own, the other part she sells to Rosa 1 agricultural cooperative operating in Khachaghbyur (dairy production). The main product she produces is homemade cheese. The number of cows is currently 10, and 4 have been injured recently and Armine had to sell the meat. As Armine notes, she has never had a problem of selling the cheese and sour-cream of her produce, the demand is always more than she is able to produce in her modest conditions.

In 2023, Armine participated in the REBCA project, received 1.6 ha of barley and sainfoin seed as a technical assistance. She bought 0.4 ha of seed by her own finances and sowed total 2 ha of land. If the weather conditions will be favorable, she expects that from 1 ha will yield 8 tons of grass harvest (400 hacks*20kg) of sainfoin grass, and 2 ha of barley will yield 3-4 tons next year.

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