For more than 30 years, the LEADER methodology has been a guiding light for local/rural development. This approach actively involves people in the community, giving them the power to plan their development strategies, make decisions, and allocate resources to improve their rural areas. LEADER's success is particularly based in community-led agri-food projects, where farmers, food processors, eateries, and retailers all cooperate with each other. These projects go beyond just creating and preserving jobs in rural areas. They also lead to new products and services, encouraging innovation that helps local businesses and families in rural Europe adapt to changing conditions, such as global climate change, urbanisation, and other negative shifts in the rural environment.

LEADER made its way to Armenia with the official kick-off of the LEAD Project in 2021. In 2022 five Local Action Groups (LAGs) have been established based on delineation done by the United Nationas Development Program (UNDP) and Foof and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) teams jointly in Lori and Tavush marzes. Then in 2023 FAO team carried out a number of advisory and facilitation activities for the beneficiaries of the LEAD project, LAG members and farmers, who received grants within the framework of the project. The purpose of the facilitation was to direct the beneficiaries to those sectors and value chains of primary production that are prospective and have great potential for their region. The baseline assessment of the current situation of the agricultural sector of 5 LAG areas carried out within the framework of the project was used as a guide for agricultural production in LAGs.

By 2023, twelve farmer groups/associations were established, spanning the Lori and Tavush regions. Through a series of orientation meetings, discussions, and training sessions focused on group formation. Consequently, 12 farmer groups have successfully formed across all five LAGs. These groups are currently in various stages of development, underscoring the program's significant impact on fostering agricultural collaboration and development.

VilLcoN Agricultural Cooperative: Cultivating Success

In the heart of the Lori region, the VilLcoN Agricultural Cooperative, established by four lead farmers from LAG 2, has swiftly emerged as a key player in the production of high-quality, organic fruit juices. The name VilLcoN, a blend of "Village" and "Consolidation," reflects the cooperative's vision for collaboration with small farmers.

Key Milestones:

1. Strategic Guidance: The FAO provided crucial coaching on the formation of business ideas and strategy, laying a robust foundation for the cooperative.
2. Educational Alliance: In partnership with the Armenian National Agrarian University (ANAU), a comprehensive 3-day course on the production of preserves and compotes engaged both group members and 16 young individuals from the LAG area.

Positioned for success, VilLcoN not only helps the local economy but also shows a good example for future farming projects.

“Hatik” Seeds Agricultural Cooperative:  Local seed production promotion

In the rich soil of LAG 2, Seeds Agricultural Cooperative is starting a new chapter in local farming. They want to focus on making seeds for legumes and grains. Their goal is to grow seeds on 80-100 hectares of fields, with another 200 hectares for rotating crops.

Key Achievements:

1. Strategic Coaching: FAO provided crucial coaching on business idea formation and strategy, setting a solid foundation for the cooperative. FAO team facilitated the formalization of the cooperative, identifying key business and partnership components during their operations.
2. International Study Tours: Members of the Seed Agricultural Cooperative participated in illuminating international study tours in Georgia and Austria, organized by FAO. These experiences provided them with extensive insights before formally starting their business.
3. Partnership with Shen NGO and equipping the cooperative:  Thanks to the facilitation of the FAO team, the cooperative applied for and received a grant from Shen NGO in 2023. The cooperative was provided with modern essential seed sorting and disinfection equipment. Equipping the cooperative with such equipment enables them to introduce quality refined seed to the local market.
4. Certification:  Certified seed breeder. With the facilitation of the FAO team, the cooperative was registered in the RA Ministry of Economy's Register of Seed Breeding Units, as a certified and standard-compliant seed producing unit in the local market.
5. State-of-the-Art Facility: Within the LAG area, a cutting-edge facility is taking shape for seed storage, sorting, and filtering. This facility will be the source of certified primary and secondary seed products for local farmers.

Beyond production, Seeds Agricultural Cooperative is committed to education. They plan to establish demonstration plots, showcasing a diverse array of seed varieties, offering valuable insights to the local farming community. Seeds Agricultural Cooperative isn't just sowing seeds; they are cultivating a culture of success and innovation in the agricultural landscape of LAG 2.

Tavush Region Pig Breeders' Association Agricultural Cooperative: Growing Success in LAG 3

The "Tavush Region Pig Breeders' Association Agricultural Cooperative" shows how working together can make a big difference. It includes 7 pig farmers from LAG 3 communities who are dedicated to their work.

Key Achievements:

1. Registration of a Pig breeders cooperative. FAO played a pivotal role by providing essential coaching on business idea formation and strategy. The FAO team facilitated the legal registration of the cooperative, identifying key business and partnership components during their operations. It can be said that this is the first association of pig breeders in RA. Such a merger will serve as an example for other manufacturers to unite and conduct joint production. Tavush Marz is famous for its pork production. The establishment of the Association of pig breeders can be an interesting approach from the point of view of the development of the given sector and consolidation of the producers.
2. Formation of a service provider unit for pig breeding farms. The Association will have three main functions: making animal feed, helping pigs have piglets through artificial insemination, and providing veterinary services for pig farms. They will also sell pork meat. It is very promising for the region, because other pig breeds can not only become members of the Association, but also become their direct beneficiaries.
3. Diversification and Service Center. They ventured into artificial insemination, conducting six successful procedures with the professional advice of Smart Agro LLC. Additionally, they transformed a roadside warehouse into the "Eco Ker (food)" Center - a place for selling both group-produced feed and products from other organizations and producers.

Key Milestones:

1.Formation and Expansion: Initially envisioned by four farmers and now comprising seven, the cooperative, with valuable assets in sows, piglets, and a focus on Landrace and Duroc pig breeds, evolved into the Tavush region Association of Pig Breeders Agricultural Cooperative.
2. Educational Empowerment: A pivotal educational visit to leading pig breeding organizations and service providers in Armenia laid the foundation for their project's first phase. This experience guided their path, shaping their understanding of best practices in the industry.
3. Economic Growth and Market Adaptation: Empowered by professional support and market insights, cooperative members worked together to enhance the growth and development of their individual economies. This approach shows that they are dedicated to achieving success together and also doing well on their own.

The story of the Tavush Region Pig Breeders' Association Agricultural Cooperative demonstrates how working together can change local farming. They use new ideas, learning, and smart advice to not just raise pigs but to build a lasting and successful future for pig breeding in LAG 3.

"Berdi Lobi" Women's Association: Beans producers

The women's association group consists of five members who are involved in bulk dry bean cultivation and marketing. Now, all members of the group cultivate 22 ha of bush beans together.

The main mission of the "Berdi Lobi" women's Association:

1. Applying innovative approach. The business objective of “Berdi Lobi” Women's Association is to establish a bean procurement point in Berd that can supply large quantities to the market. The goal of the establishment is to provide services for small and medium-sized farms: filtering, sorting and packaging beans. The service will be unique, as it will not only be stationary, but will also provide mobile service in the beneficiary settlements.
2. Preserving traditions. Cultivation of local bean populations in Berd region is not only of production importance but also tends to preserve traditions. The primary populations of cultivated beans in RA include those in Tavush and Goris.
3. Mitigating climate change issues. Local bean populations are valuable not only for their flavour properties but also for their adaptability to local climate conditions. Taking into consideration the importance of food security and mitigating the problems caused by climate change, "Berdi Lobi" association initiated its activity.
4. Forming local supply market. At the initial stage of the project, the association is planned to carry out its activities in the settlements of Artsvaberd, Norashen, VK Aghbyur. About 100 ha of beans are now cultivated by small and medium farms in the mentioned beneficiary settlements.
5. Attracting women producers to join the Women's Association through the creation of a women's rural business unit.

The presence of this Association will contribute to the improvement of the quality of agricultural products and the increase of the harvest in the Berd enlarged community, which in its turn will contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the farms in the beneficiary settlements.

“Tsaghkavan procurement centre” Association

The goal of Association is to create a local procurement point for the farmers of Tsaghkavan and 5 neighbouring villages that carry out fruit growing and wild harvesting.

Tsaghkavan procurement centre will establish a distinctive procurement centre for the region to acquire nuts, cornelian cherries, and wild fruits. Alongside this, constructing a cold storage facility with a capacity to store and sell 20-60 tons of fruit annually is essential. This facility will be equipped with necessary tools and containers for procurement purposes. Additionally, the creation of a storage unit is crucial to ensure a consistent supply for processing enterprises in the region. The association will oversee procurement, sorting, and, if needed, packaging, facilitating both short-term and long-term storage of fruits. This integrated approach aims to enhance efficiency and support the region's agricultural processing sector. Thanks to the association, farms with small and medium-sized products will have the opportunity to sell their crops and get additional income. The organization will carry out the procurement and transportation, and the producers themselves will bring the crops they grow to the farms with cold storage facility.

From the point of view of the mission, the issue of procurement and further sale of walnuts and cornelian cherry collected from the forests by the villagers is also important, which is the main means of livelihood for many families.

In the upcoming publications, we will share more information about farmers' associations, highlighting their achievements and experiences in various agricultural endeavors.

The “EU Local Empowerment of Actors for Development in Lori and Tavush Regions” project (EULEAD4Lori and Tavush Regions) is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with UN Food and Agricultural Organization and in close cooperation with the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure. The project also coordinates its activities with the RA Ministry of Economy.

The  project  is implemented in Lori and Tavush regions of Armenia as part of the European Union’s LEADER / Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) concept with the following objectives: mobilize, capacitate and incentivize local actors to define community needs-driven strategies in Lori and Tavush regions;  build supporting infrastructure to prioritize, implement and sustain local-grown initiatives in Lori and Tavush regions and  improve the capacity of the relevant ministries and other bodies and develop policy mechanisms at the national level for successful piloting and sustainability of the LEADER approach in Armenia.