The “Sweet Village” project of UNDP’s Sustainable Communities programme aims to establish an exemplary model beekeeping community using a single village as a pilot. For the project’s initial phase, the village of Aghnjadzor in Vayots Dzor was selected. The initiative focuses on the socio-economic stabilization of the village by promoting the development of beekeeping, creating new jobs, and unlocking the village’s tourism potential.

Within the project, the selected beneficiaries receive the necessary technical and material support, professional guidance, and training to develop their own beekeeping enterprises. All beneficiaries of the “Sweet Village” project have received from the Sustainable Communities programme a total of 105 polyurethane beehives, an electric defense system, 9 sets of beekeeping equipment (including water containers, boards, and registers), and construction materials for beehive improvements (including 355 liters of paint, 25 kg of liquid putty, and 30 liters of glue). Beneficiaries have installed bee colonies and are carrying out cleaning and improvement work in their hives, apiary areas, equipment, and storage spaces. Project experts regularly conduct monitoring and provide support to beneficiaries to enhance production efficiency and product quality.

The “Sweet Village” project operates on a co-financing model and brings together community efforts around a single idea: creating a village that not only develops productive capacities but also becomes a tourism-attractive “sweet” destination in Armenia. The initiative carries a fitting motto: “Sweet Village — together with joint efforts.”