High-Value Agriculture
Organic Farming
Farmer Cooperation
Research Projects
Environmental Projects
Environmental Projects
Educational ProjectsOrganic Farming Projects
CAPACITY BUILDING FOR FARMER GROUPS ON ORGANIC FARMING AND LOW INPUT SUSTAINABLE AGRILUCTURE IN MOUNTAIN REGIONS OF ARMENIA
This year Green Lane, financially supported by PKP ODA poverty reduction fund (Embassy of the Netherlands in Georgia), starts a new project that aims to improve the capacity for continuing education as well as knowledge and information sharing among the organic farmers and farmer groups in the remote mountain regions of Armenia.
Our experience of working with farmer groups evidences that very often farmers in remote mountain communities are deprived of important information about the economic and legal environment (legislation (in particular law on Organic Agriculture, standards, certification, market information, etc) as well as about the local, national, and international organizations offering support to the farmers involved in organic and alternative farming.
The
expected outcome of this project is enable members of the farmer groups
to improve their own knowledge and professional skills as well as to equip
them to act as trainers and knowledge and information providers for others
in their communities. The project is built on the "train the trainers"
concept. It is expected to increase the number of the farmers who can serve
as a trainer in "peer-to-peer" educational and experience exchange
programs in the future and to provide them with necessary educational resources
(in printed and electronic formats).
Under the project, Green Lane is conducting training courses for eight
farmer groups. The topics are as follows:
a) Organic legislation;
b) Financial and farm management in organic and low input agriculture;
c) Marketing of organic production;
d) Basics of using conventional and new information and communication technologies
(internet and e-mail) for continuing knowledge sharing
The participants of the trainings are provided with educational resources on the above topics (booklets, fact sheets, a newsletter, CDs).
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE DAYS IN ARMENIA AND ROMANIA
In July and August, 2006, Green Lane NGO (Armenia) and Bioterra Organic Farmer Association (Romania), through financial support from Open Society Institute's East-East Program organized Organic Agriculture Days in Armenia and Romania.
Ten members of Green Lane - farmers, agriculture specialists, and a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture - made a study tour to Romania (12-21 July 2006). This was a great opportunity to exchange experience with Romanian colleagues and learn about the European experience of developing organic agriculture.
From 9 to 16 August ten experts from Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Moldova were in Armenia with a reciprocal visit. During their visit we had three round table discussions (at the Ministry of Agriculture, at the meeting hall of Yerevan hotel, and in the office of Action Against Hunger International Foundation (in Syunik region). 107 farmers, agriculture specialists and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture took part in those discussions. Moreover, we had seven workshops in different regions of Armenia, and the number of their participants - farmers, experts and mass media representatives - totaled to 145.
The European experts met Mr. David Loqyan, Minister of Agriculture of Armenia.
The Minister thanked OSI and Green Lane for initiating and implementing
this project. He stressed that this was a very important and useful initiative
for Armenia and its agricultural sector.
The Consul of Romania in the Republic of Armenia Mr. Marius Florescu-Ciobotaru
also took part in the final round table discussion held at Yerevan Hotel
on 15th of August 2006. We were very pleased to hear from him that he considered
our project to be very important in terms of exchanging experience and knowledge
between the experts of the four European countries and Armenia.
The project has been covered by 7 TV companies, and, besides, we have made
a film about the Armenian part of the project. more...
(PDF)
ORGANIC SWEET CORN PRODUCTION
Under this project, implemented through assistance from the Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development (CARD) in May-July, 2006, 10 farms of Jerahovit and Arevshat communities of Ararat region were provided with technical assistance in cultivation of organic sweet corn. Participation in the project helped farmers increase their production and incomes.
More Projects:
Organic
Farmer Field School in Gandzaqar Village
Women’s
Farmer Extension Research Group
