The “Sweet Village” project, developed under the UNDP “Sustainable Communities” programme, has already launched in the village of Aghnjadzor. The aim is to develop beekeeping and turn the village into a model community for the sector.

Thanks to its flavor and quality, the export of Armenian honey has been steadily increasing year by year. Beekeeping, as a key branch of agriculture, holds significant economic, environmental, and socio-cultural potential. However, the sector faces numerous challenges, including a lack of professional knowledge, outdated technological practices, insufficient technical equipment, a limited number of exemplary farms, climate change, pesticide use, the spread of bee diseases, as well as problems related to honey testing, processing, proper packaging, and branding.

All these factors hinder the full and competitive development of the sector. The “Sweet Village” project supports beekeeping households by providing equipment, offering professional and technical consultations, and organizing training sessions.

Aghnjadzor, located in the Vayots Dzor region, was selected as the pilot site due to its favorable climate, diverse flora, road accessibility, tourism potential, existing beekeeping activities, cultural sublayer, and high community interest. During the project selection phase, specific criteria were developed and monitored site visits were conducted.

The exemplary beekeeping farms will serve as educational and demonstration platforms, where visitors can taste pure, natural honey and learn about the beekeeping process.

“Sweet Village” is a co-financing model aimed at fostering the socio-economic sustainability of the community by creating new jobs, promoting honey production and sales, and enhancing the village’s tourism potential. In the near future, the project will support the upgrading of 10 farms, and in the long term, it will form a collaborative community that could serve as a model for other villages.