Women farmers from Georgia and Armenia explore innovative agricultural practices

UN Women continues to support women farmers by helping them access new and innovative knowledge and creating opportunities to exchange experiences and build valuable connections. The gathering of women farmers from Georgia and Armenia, held on 17 and 18 August in the village of Dzoraghbyur in Armenia’s Kotayk region, was one such initiative.

During the two-day exchange, participants explored sustainable and innovative agricultural practices and gained both theoretical and practical knowledge on urban and climate-resilient agriculture, organic production, and the cultivation of high-value crops.

Forty women were selected to participate in the exchange. They are engaged in a range of agricultural activities: some grow grain, vegetables and berries or manage greenhouses, while others are involved in livestock farming or beekeeping. During the exchange, the farmers had the opportunity to discuss the challenges they face, learn about successful practices and explore how innovative approaches could be adapted to their own farms and communities.

One of the participants was Ketevan Londaridze from the village of Nijgori in Aspindza Municipality, Georgia. She grows a variety of vegetables and was particularly interested in learning about growing potted herbs during the exchange.

“When I return to Georgia, I will definitely give it a try. In the future, I may even develop it into a business,” Ketevan said.

The exchange was also a source of motivation for Alisa Arakelyan, who grows strawberries in Vardenis, located in the Gegharkunik region of Armenia. Having been disappointed with her strawberry yields, the farmer learned about a completely new technology during the exchange.

“This method will reduce my workload while increasing the amount of strawberries I can produce,” she said.

An important component of the initiative was the sharing of successful experiences by the participants themselves. Naira Bolkvadze and Khatuna Bolkvadze, from the village of Maradisi in Marneuli Municipality, Georgia, shared their experience of vegetable production and establishing a cooperative. They also introduced participants to the economic opportunities that turning this idea into reality has created for the entire village.

“It would be good if the farmers here also came together and established cooperatives,” Khatuna said.

Women farmers in both Armenia and Georgia play a vital role in agricultural production, food security and the economic development of rural communities. Yet they often have limited access to technical knowledge, innovative agricultural practices, markets, professional networks and opportunities to exchange experiences. The UN Women initiative sought to address these challenges.

Beyond sharing professional knowledge and experience, such exchanges also help farmers build new and valuable connections while strengthening mutual support and solidarity among women.

UN Women organized the exchange as part of the regional project “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the South Caucasus”, with funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).