Educational component

In the framework of the educational component of the project, the educational programs of the ANAU Agronomy Department will be upgraded, introducing new courses and modernizing the curricula of the existing ones. So far, the following educational manuals have been developed: “Harmful entomofauna of fruit trees and control measures”, “Diseases of fruit trees and control measures”, “Establishment and management of nurseries”, “Establishment and management of nut tree orchards”, “Establishment and management of intensive orchards”, “Fruit growing”, “Introduction to of sustainable agriculture”. Within the framework of the project, a series of workshops were held, during which the local specialists who have developed the manuals and the international consultants, presented the manuals and the relevant teaching methods to the faculty, MS and PhD students of the ANAU Agronomy Department․ The manuals are approved by the ANAU Scientific Council. in addition, a training course on “Modern Teaching Methods” was organized for ANAU lecturers.
It is planned to organize trainings for the teaching staff of the University and agricultural colleges, to hold short-term professional certification programs in fruit growing, as well as to organize student summer camps.
In the framework of the project memorandums of cooperation were signed with 8 agricultural colleges: ANAU A. Kochinyan Agricultural College, Armavir Regional State College, Masis State Agricultural College, Nor Geghi Academician G. Aghajanyan State Agricultural College, Spitak State College, Shirak Academician S. Tumanyan Agricultural College, Stepanavan Professor A. Kalantar State Agricultural College, and Vanadzor State Agricultural College.

Within the framework of the memoranda, it is planned to organize study visits to the intensive fruit orchard established under FRUITENIA, including for college students, lecturers, specialists) to develop manuals on horticulture for the colleges, and organize trainings on horticulture for the faculty of colleges.

     Agri-technical component

Within the agri-technical component of the project, a 1.5-hectare intensive orchard, equipped with a drip irrigation system and anti-hail net system, was established in the territory of ANAU “Voskehat” Teaching-Experimental Farm for educational and demonstration purposes. The following types of trees have been planted in the orchard:

1. Peach – 12 sorts
2. Plum – 10 sorts
3. Cherry – 16 sorts
4. Apricot – 2 sorts

To make the growing practices more efficient in the intensive orchard, a tractor and other farming equipment were purchased within the framework of the project.
The acquired agricultural machinery has been handed over to ANAU “Voskehat” Farm on the basis of the “Agreement on the Gratuitous Use of Agricultural Machinery” signed between ANAU and ICARE.

The orchard will be open to all interested people, but first of all it will serve the students and teaching staff of the Armenian National Agrarian University, providing them with an opportunity to develop their hands-on knowledge and skills in addition to theoretical knowledge. Visits were organized for students of ANAU Department of Agronomy, ANAU A. Kochinyan Agricultural College, regional agricultural colleges at different stages of establishment and activities of the intensive orchard.

To follow the progress of the project, including the details of the trainings, new videos and publications, you can visit the Facebook pages of the FRUTENIA project, as well as the website www.aygi.am.