FAO Celebrates 80th Anniversary by Uplifting Armenia’s Rural Life

Agricultural festivals are more than celebrations - they are powerful platforms to recognize the contributions of farmers, strengthen community ties, and highlight the richness of local harvests. This year, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) joined the Harvest Festival: Rural Life and Traditions. Its market stalls at the festival facilitated that seven beneficiary farmer groups from FAO projects in Lori, Tavush and Syunik region could share their stories, preserve culture and traditions, and showcase the abundance of Armenian agriculture.

FAO’s participation formed part of the Organization’s 80th anniversary celebrations, marking eight decades of global efforts to empower farmers and advance rural development.

Visitors sampled and purchased an array of locally produced goods: fresh fruits and vegetables, honey, beans, grains, juices, wines, preserves, and even farm-fresh pork barbecue. Each stall reflected not just products, but stories of resilience, innovation, and community.

At the heart of the festival, FAO-supported farmer groups from Lori, Tavush, and Syunik brought the richness of Armenia’s agriculture directly to the public. Among them were women-led cooperatives, seed producers, beekeepers, and agribusiness unions, each showcasing not just products, but the results of sustainable, community-driven development. From golden honey produced by women’s groups and family farms to traditional pork barbecue and vibrant local wines, the stalls reflected a diversity of flavors and a shared story of resilience and rural innovation. These groups, empowered through various FAO initiatives, including projects focused on land degradation neutrality, climate-smart agriculture, and rural development through the empowerment of local actors, represented the living impact of FAO’s support in strengthening livelihoods and preserving cultural heritage.

“Events like this festival are very important for Armenia,” said Botagoz Nartayeva, FAO Programme Coordinator in Armenia. “They celebrate farmers’ hard work, showcase the diversity and quality of local products, and strengthen the connection between producers and consumers. Through events like this, communities come together, traditions are honored, and local economies are supported.”

Beyond the market stalls, FAO’s pavilions offered visitors the chance to hear inspiring farmer stories, the stories of women leading cooperatives, young entrepreneurs reviving traditional crops, and families introducing sustainable practices. These voices illustrated the transformative power of FAO’s initiatives: helping rural communities innovate, adapt, and build resilient livelihoods.

FAO’s engagement in the Harvest Festival reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to Armenian farmers, supporting knowledge sharing, promoting sustainable food systems, and fostering inclusive rural development. The festival was not only a celebration of the harvest, but also a reminder that agriculture is about traditions, culture and most importantly, people, as well as the future of Armenia’s rural communities.