We are delighted to welcome the new YPARD Armenia representative Anna Hovhannisyan.
Anna is an MSc graduate of the Agribusiness Teaching Center of Armenian National Agrarian University (ANAU). ATC is the collaborative effort of the ANAU, Texas A&M University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Marketing Assistance. Currently, she is working at the Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development (CARD) Foundation as a Marketing and Value Chain Expert in the Markets for Meghri (M4M) Project.
Annas responsibilities in the M4M project are to focus on the horticultural sector in Meghri (In Armenia, Meghri is the region known for growing some subtropical fruits such as; fig, persimmon and pomegranate) to include market activities beyond the production at farm level: post-harvest handling, processing, trading, retail and export. Many of the projects target group (poor households) are also involved in these activities, either as small-scale or home based processors (an activity in which many women are involved), as small traders or as employees of processing and retail/export companies.
Besides her work, Anna also has her own start-up agribusiness (Chirs House). She founded a small dried fruit production in the village where she was borne and currently lives (Byurakan). In her farm, she grows organic strawberries under greenhouse conditions which she harvests and dries for tea production. She also has a tourists welcome center where tourists can visit the production, harvest strawberries and dry them with new technologies using solar energy.
Anna believes that becoming the new YPARD national representative in Armenia represents a new challenge for her to motivate the youth to contribute to developing the agricultural sector in the country. "Being a member of YPARD and seeing the impact the community can make, I believe it is a very useful and beneficial global platform and international networking system that can promote agriculture among young people. Becoming the YPARD Armenia country representative avails me the opportunity to add value in my present cultural context and inspire youth to love agriculture.
She is determined to continue the good work of Armen Kazaryan the former representative for YPARD Armenia. We express our profound gratitude to Armen for the time invested in the country chapter.
If you are from or based in Armenia, and want to get involved in YPARD Armenia activities, please contact Anna at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Picture credit: Anna Hovhannisyan