World Vision organizes the 4th Raspberry festival in Armenia

For already 4th year World Vision Armenia is organizing one of the sweetest festivals in the country – Raspberry fest. This year the festival was organized next to the picturesque Shaqi Waterfall.

“People of Syunik are treating” was the slogan of the festival that involved some 70 raspberry producers of Syunik Marz (region) of Armenia to present and sell their agriculture products, as well as find clients and partners for future cooperation and trade.

“We would like to have more of this kind of events in our region. These events help to boost tourism in Syunik Marz”, said the governor of Syunik Marz Mr. Hounan Poghosyan.

The event was attended by the head of the Chief of Staff of the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia Mr. Eduard Aghajanyan, head of Sisian Community Mr. Arthur Sargsyan, the Governor of Vayots Dzor Marz Mr. Trdat Sargsyan.

“Children’s wellbeing is directly connected with the wellbeing of their families. By empowering community producers World Vision encourages the increase of their income, while the increased income allows providing better care for the children,” said Lena Karapetyan who is managing World Vision Armenia’s development programmes in Syunik.

The festival hosted a number of national and modern music bands, presentations of Armenian gata and tastiest ever raspberry, contests, and a number of different amusement activities.

For already four years World Vision Armenia supported the establishment of eight raspberry producers groups in Syunik Marz that involve 70 farmers. World Vision Armenia Economic Development efforts are based on the Local Value Chain Development model as a strategic focus that concentrates the efforts on increasing producers’ income. The model is designed to help producers create market systems that work better for them by increasing their understanding of market demand as well as increasing their bargaining power resulting in them gaining more profit from what they produce. World Vision’s staff supported smallholder producers to work collectively, to improve their productivity, develop better relationships with buyers and gain more profitable access to markets.