Agricultural entrepreneurship training in Armenia

Funder: ESTDEV - Estonian Centre for International Development

Coordinator: Margit Säre, margitsare @ gmail.com

Summary
1st phase in 2024.
The project focused at professional empowerment of internally displaced persons from Artsakh, so that they acquire (or improve) practical skills and knowledge to work in agriculture and start their own business.

The training groups were divided between 3 topics: beekeeping, poultry farming/egg production; cultivation of berries/herbs, and we traine almost 120 refugess; alo 50 micro-subsidies were issued. The project ended with final conference in Yerevan, which was attended by amost 80 people, including specialists from Organic Estonia foundation.

2nd phase in 2025
The goal is to promote the adoption of regenerative agriculture in Armenia by enhancing awareness, skills, and capacity in the agricultural sector through innovative teaching methods and educational technology solutions.
As a key activity, an online training platform and digital library will be created. 10-week course "Sustainable and Smart
Agricultural Practices" will be conducted for 35 practitioners, including practical workshops. Participants will receive a
certificate and a small grant to support the development of organic farming.
Based on the results of the training program and the online platform, a module will be developed and integrated into the
curriculum of the Armenian National Agrarian University Additionally, an online collaboration seminar between Estonian and Armenian agricultural education specialists will take place, along with a study visit of Armenian specialists to Estonia.
Our Estonian expert partner are: Organic Estonia foundation and University of Life Sciences.
The project will result in the broader adoption of regenerative agricultural practices and promote the compliance of
Armenia's agricultural sector with EU standards.