“Women are the country’s vein, especially women in the village”

This year the “Female food hero” ceremony took place on March 7 at the Armenian National Agrarian University. The event was initiated by the Armenian Agricultural Alliance and the RA Ministry of Agriculture.

This year’s award ceremony was titled “Cooperative –  Developing Agriculture” and aimed to encourage women who are active in agricultural cooperatives in Armenia.

In his welcoming speech, Rector of the National Agrarian University of Armenia Vardan Urutyan said: “Women create the environment where without the mourning, without the tiredness equally with men they make the country’s future with great enthusiasm. As Hrant Matevosyan says, “The country’s vein are women, especially women in the village.” All our women are heroes. ”

Margarita Hakobyan, member of the Agricultural Alliance, Executive Director of OxYGen Foundation, recalled that traditionally the “Agricultural Product’s Female Hero” award ceremony has been held for the past seven years. “Today we encourage women working in the agricultural cooperatives in Armenia,” she said, noting that agriculture policy should be targeted, especially in favor of creating favorable conditions for women’s economic rights.

According to Garnik Petrosyan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia, the awards ceremony has an important mission to present women’s successes and make them visible to others. “Today one of the problems in the field is the fragmentation of the land, so the co-operation should be more important. The ministry plans to introduce new approaches and programs that will boost co-operative development. ”

Head of the “Structural Dialogue Commitment” program, President of the Armenian Association of Lawyers, Karen Zadoyan, believes that thanks to Alliance today the voice of the village women is heard and their role is also important in the process of public policy development and oversight.

Then Anahit Navasardyan, Head of the Shen NGO charitable organization, talked about the prospects and challenges facing the development of agricultural cooperatives. According to her, cooperatives contribute to the poverty alleviation and employment in rural communities, the growth of agricultural products, the acquisition of agricultural inputs, the provision of affordable resources, the mobilization and target use of resources, the improvement of knowledge and skills, economic and social involvement, protection of rights and interests of legal entities.

11 women from Lori, Vayots Dzor, Gegharkunik, Tavush, Aragatsotn, Kotayk regions were awarded the “Female food hero “:

Alvard Davoyan: Vardablur community of Lori region

Anush Hakobyan: Gom community of Vayots Dzor province

Gayane Kharatyan: Sevkar community of Tavush province

Gohar Movsisyan, Teghenik Community of Kotayk Province

Heghine Kirakosyan: Arayi village of Aragatsotn marz

Jemma Khanzadyan: Tsovagyugh community of Gegharkunik province

Larisa Amirkhanyan, Gosh community of Tavush region

Marine Harutyunyan, Kurtan Community of Lori Region

Tsovik Ohanyan, Byurakan Community of Aragatsotn region

Raisa Khachatryan, Solak community of Kotayk region

Nune Sarukhanyan, “Green Trail” NGO

The event was organized within the framework of the “Affiliate Policy, Sustainable Agriculture” program implemented by the Armenian Agricultural Alliance, implemented within the framework of the subprogram provided by the European Union-funded “Constructive Dialogue Commitment” program.

Read all the stories about the “Female food hero ” winners in the book Cooperative as a guarantee of Women’s Success”  here

See photos of Award ceremony here.