ADVANCED RURAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE (ARDI) #2 , 2015 Program Updates Areni Wine Fest Opening Doors for Entrepreneurs from Vayots Dzor The holistic approach of ARDI pro- B&B owners from Shatin and Areni food for his farm. His plan is to have gram rural economic development villages promoted their hospitality 33% profitability during first year. includes ensuring the market ac- service. During the festival they had With the help of ARDI program he the opportunity to present and sell co-financed and obtained 2,000 their produce, find new venues and chicks and a grinder for fodder. markets for produce/service realisa- tion and make new connections. Golden Honey from Zaritap Gegham Grigoryan from Zaritap Sun Kissed Dried Fruits from Areni community, Vayots Dzor Marz started a beekeeping business with three beehives last year. cess of entrepreneurs’ and farmers’ Eager to expand his business further, businesses. For these purpose ARDI the young beemaster participated in program supported 18 current and the entrepreneurship training organ- potential beneficiaries from Vayots ized by ARDI program and success- Dzor region to participate in the 7th fully applied for a grant. annual Areni Wine Festival on Octo- ber 3. The entrepreneurs started the preparations earlier, designing and Anna Ghazaryan works as an ac- packaging their products. For some countant in Areni community school. of them it was the very first experi- The family owns orchards and sells ence to present their production in a different fruits as well. However the festival. Private farmers, cooperative family harvests more fresh fruits than members and owners of small agri- they can sell during season. Then, businesses from Areni, Chiva, Yelpin, Anna turned her old time hobby Aghnjadzor, Shatin, Karaglukh, of making dried fruits into a new Gegham now carries on his business Taratumb, Zaritap and Gndevaz business. To increase her production with 13 beehives. Leaving recent communities featured their produce: Anna applied to ARDI program small hardship in the past, Gegham is ecologically clean honey, fresh and grant project to co-finance and buy looking forward to bright future as dried fruits, cheese and chicks. a 150kg capacity fruit drier. This he expects about 200-250 kg eco- year she made about 120 kg dried logically clean honey next year. fruits. Samples are sent to Russia and the feedback was very positive with potential cooperation. Organically Growing Chicks David Martirosyan, a young entre- preneur from Karagloukh started his poultry business recently with 100 chicks and increased the number to 450. He uses only ecologically clean ARDI is a 5-year program funded by the US Agency for International Development. Launched in September 2013, the program aims to increase rural employment by tackling constraints to rural economic development of select rural communities in the Syunik, Vayots Dzor and Lori marzes (provinces) of Armenia. The program will support interventions in three main rural economic sectors/Value Chains involving Dairy Processing, Fruit Processing and Rural Tourism. The ARDI program is being implemented by the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia and Heifer Project International Armenian Branch Office. New B&B Venues to Enjoy: Areni and Dsegh Villages There are estimated 100,000 A professional training on how to foreigners and 300,000 local establish and manage B&B was Armenians visiting regions as organized by the ARDI program. The tourists. That is estimated 20% program and families co-shared the of total income from tourism in cost of investment. Armenia. The picturesque Dsegh village is a well Based on expert evaluations. known location for tourists visiting Lori One of the reasons why tourists do not region. The village with its surround- 15,000-20,000 tourists are visiting our visit regions is the lack of infrastruc- ing has breathtaking natural beauty, community. Taking this into considera- ture. ARDI program aims to develop and the immense number of historical tion I would like to start my own B&B rural tourism value chain through in- business, host guests, offer them the lo- frastructure development. Value Chain cal food and take them to see nearby experts and ARDI program assess- historical sites”. ments of select clusters indicated build- The contacts of new B&Bs: ing B&Bs especially in Dsegh village “Arima” B&B, owner Byureghik Sarg- of Lori region. In the Spring three B&Bs syan Tel: 094-81-74-73 were completed in Vayots Dzor region. “Smile” B&B, owner Shogher Kochary- This time the program completed 4 an Tel: 098-90-98-74 B&Bs in Dsegh village. monuments available nearby just add “Otevan” B&B owner Suzanne more interest for visitors as well as for Kharatyan, Tel: 0 77- 906-983 hikers. Dsegh is also known for being “Vernatun” owner Gohar Beglaryan, the birthplace of one of the famous Tel: 093-61-55-41 Armenian writers Hovhannes Touman- Another promising B&B was financed yan where his home-museum is operat- via Small Grant Project. “Areni Wine ing year around. Art” B&B owner David Simonyan, tel: Suzanne Kharatyan, the “Otevan 374 (0) 94-536-329. This B&B ar- B&B“ owner said “Each year about ranges lavash baking, honey straining, etc. Wedding Accessories from Dsegh Our youth is talented and landing making wedding cakes and acces- Completed Projects in 2015 a helping hand is a great way to sories and organizing weddings. support new businesses especially She attended professional design Milk Collection Unit - 5 for young women who start or ex- training and uses her knowledge in Animal watering Point – 7 pand their business in rural areas. practice. Fruit Cold Storage - 3 Ani Sargsyan from Dsegh village is In winter with her mother she en- Irrigation Water System– 5 an active citizen and enthusiastic in hanced her business management Bed & Breakfast – 7 business and her home town de- skills at the training organized by Seed Grant Project - 34 velopment. For three years Ani has ARDI program and successfully been renting out wedding dresses, applied for a grant. Now with the Upcoming Activities help of her family she rents a 14 Start the construction and/or sqm room in the community cultural renovation of: house for her business of Wedding dresses & accessory. She advances the opportunity of her store being Irrigation Water System - 1 nearby H. Tumanyan museum and Seed Grant Project -7 sells handmade Armenian souvenirs Fruit Cold Storage - 1 by targeting tourists and shares info Training of Rural Entrepre- on Dsegh B&Bs. neurship Development. This newsletter is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of ARDI program and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Fuller Center for Housing Armenia NGO Address: 59 Komitas Ave., Yerevan 0051, Armenia Office phone: + 374 10 20 43 90 www.fcharmenia.org, [email protected] .