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New Organic Armenia Agricultural Association established

Logo of Armenia Organic.

Employees of the honey producing company Mer Sarer Holding LLC. (Photo: ADA/OASI)

Inauguration of the Organic Armenia Agricultural Association on 21 March in Yerevan with its board members. From left to right: Tigran Tsaturyan, Samvel Mkhitaryan, Simon Asatryan, Naira Mkrtchyan and Lusine Nalbandyan. Not pictured: Board member Areg Galstyan. (Photo: David Muckenhuber)

In the framework of the Organic Agriculture Support Initiative (OASI), FiBL supported the creation and registration of the Organic Armenia Agricultural Association as a non-governmental organisation which aims to develop policies and strengthen the capacity of farmers, producers and processors. The OASI project is supported by European Union funds with a contribution from the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC).

"The aim of the Organic Armenia Agricultural Association is to provide a strong and unified national voice for domestic certified organic farmers, producers and processors and to build and support a producer-led national organic movement and national policy platform", says Lusine Nalbandyan, chairperson of the newly founded organization. "We will accomplish these objectives by developing and advocating policies, strengthening capacity of farmers, producers and processors as well as supporting collaboration among actors of the Armenian organic sector", underlines Ms. Nalbandyan during the inauguration meeting on 21 March 2019 in Yerevan in front of more than 80 stakeholders and future members.

Within its short-term assignment from December 2018 until March 2019, FiBL supported the establishment of the Organic Armenia Agricultural Association in suggesting mechanisms for the association’s charter, structure and functioning. FiBL also supported the local actors in defining the benefits and conditions for membership towards a well accepted, locally owned association.

The Armenian organic sector started to develop in 2005. Currently a total surface of around 20’000 ha (cultivated land and wild collection area) is certified organic. Within the last 13 years, the number of certified operators has increased to 75. A large majority of them are certified according to the EU Regulation and National Organic Program (NOP). In fact, a wide range of certified organic juices and preserved fruits is sold on the European market. On the US market, Armenian producers are selling mainly their excellent honey. Armenia also has a national law on organic production, which has been in force since 2009, and a national logo. On the domestic market, 9 shops – most of them specialised – are selling an increasing number of organic produce.

Further information

Contact

  • Tobias Eisenring, FiBL Switzerland
  • Lusine Nalbandyan, Chairperson of the Organic Armenia Agricultural Association
    E-mail orwaco(at)gmail.com
  • David Muckenhuber, Project team leader Organic Agriculture Support Initiative (OASI)
    Phone +43 19 03 99 85 60, E-mail david.muckenhuber(at)ada.gv.at

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