The AgriCamp Practical Learning Center is located in Aghavnadzor community of Kotayk marz, Armenia. Official opening of the Center took place on October 12, 2021. “The AgriCamp Practical Learning Center is a wonderful and important addition to the development of agriculture in Armenia. It will enrich agriculture- and agribusiness-related professional knowledge and skills of Armenian National Agrarian University students, graduates, as well as young professionals,”- said John Allelo, USAID/Armenia Mission Director during the opening ceremony.
The AgriCamp was established by International Center for Agribusiness Research and Education (ICARE) Foundation in collaboration with the National Agrarian University of Armenia (ANAU) within the framework of the USAID-funded AGRI CAMP Program. For that purpose ICARE Foundation carried out partial renovation of “Zartonk” resort, which is a property of the ANAU, and improved the surrounding area of the resort.
The Center will promote innovative agriculture training and learning and will host summer schools, events, short trainings and meetings of other formats to enable the Program target groups to obtain knowledge and skills in innovative agriculture practices. The Center will also provide camp services for the students/graduates of ANAU and young professionals pursuing a career or currently involved in the agricultural sector. Moreover, the AgriCamp will invite agripreneurs from rural Armenia to obtain new skills to expand their businesses and increase their production sophistication.
The newly opened AgriCamp Practical Learning Center hosted its first participants on October 30 and 31, 2021. A two-day training entitled “Small and Medium Greenhouse Construction and Management” was conducted within the framework of strengthening agricultural cooperation and business development. By strengthening the skills of farmers the Program seeks to support the immediate and post-COVID-19 economic recovery in Armenia through technical assistance and limited co-investments to support the implementation of economic stimulus programs of the Government of Armenia.
The USAID financed AGRI CAMP Program, implemented by ICARE Foundation, is a four-year program launched in May 2020. The establishment of the AgriCamp Practical Learning Center on the basis of the existing facility of the ANAU is one of the four main objectives of the Program.
The AGRI CAMP Program aims to promote the development of innovative agriculture in Armenia by fostering triangular partnership between industry sector, students, young professionals and agripreneurs through hands-on and innovative agricultural trainings and skills building.