Empowering Smallholder farmers – A Case Study in Armenia, June 2021

In Berd, Tavush province, Armenia, WFP supports a community characterised by a sparse and aging population where women are the major contributor to agriculture while many men emigrate for work. A large percentage of pulses and beans, a commodity broadly consumed, are imported from Russia even though conditions for growing in the area are strong. In addition, due to lack of modern food handling systems, and therefore absence of food safety standards certification, farmers sell their products through informal channels for lower profit. The Berd Cooperative have achieved food safety standard certification that permits them access to the national market and to participate in official tenders. In 2021, WFP has been supporting the cooperative with the development of packaging that will allow the farmers to sell their product in national level supermarkets and beyond.