November was quite busy for the AGRI CAMP Program. Among many other activities, training courses were conducted for regional cooperatives and farmer groups established within the framework of the EU LEADER program, coordinated by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Currently, around 12 groups provide activities in 5 Local Active Groups (LAGs) formed in Lori and Tavush.

The topics of the courses were selected taking into account the needs of the communities and the members of the cooperative/associations, with the aim of contributing to the expansion of the participants’ businesses through familiarization with innovative agricultural methods and the development of soft skills.

Thanks to the AGRI CAMP Experts’ devoted and professional approach more than 60 people have enriched their knowledge and acquired up-to-date skills in applying innovative methods in agriculture.

In the city of Ijevan, Tavush region, from November 10-12 the AGRI CAMP, in cooperation with FAO, conducted a three-day course on “Innovative Agriculture” with the following topics:

• “Farmer business Game” interactive training was introduced to farmers by Sargis Mkrtchyan and Lusine Hovhannisyan. The course was developed in cooperation with the German Sparkassenstiftung Armenia (DSIK). During this activity the farmers were divided into several groups and hypothetically run their agribusiness with different scenarios and calculated their business costs, benefits, cash flows during different agricultural activities;
• Siranush Piloyan introduced the Features of Innovative Agrotourism in Armenia;
• Lilit Asatryan contributed to the formation of Soft Skills among participants;
• Robert Grigoryan introduced the topic “Combating Trafficking in Persons in Armenia”.

6 farmer groups participated in this training.

   

On November 17-19, our Experts visited the Gyulagarak community of Lori region, where the following courses were held.

• “Farmer business Game” interactive training by Sargis Mkrtchyan and Anna Hovhannisyan;
• “Innovative approaches in fruits and nuts production”, including intensive orchard management, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), irrigation and fertilization practices by Gevorg Harutyunyan;
• “Soft Sckills Development” by Lilit Asatryan;
• “Combating Trafficking in Persons in Armenia” by Robert Grigoryan.

Members of 3 farmer groups of Lori region and one newly created agricultural cooperative attended the training.

   

Two members of the farmer group participated in the course held on November 24-26 in Berd, Tavush region, and got acquainted with the concept of a cooperative, the success and failure factors of a cooperative, the benefits of becoming a member of a cooperative․ The following topics were also introduced during the training:

• “Farmer business Game” interactive training by Sargis Mkrtchyan and Anna Hovhannisyan;
• “Innovative approaches in fruits and nuts production”, including intensive orchard management, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), irrigation and fertilization practices by Gevorg Harutyunyan;
• “Combating Trafficking in Persons in Armenia” by Robert Grigoryan.

   

Almost of the trainings of the AGRI CAMP Program tend to be highly interactive and user friendly, which helps participants to easily get involved in the process and digest new knowledge. This is evidenced by the feedback received from the participants, which also helps the Program Experts to continuously improve the thematic courses.