AUA TRDP Supported Businesses already for the 2nd Time Took Part in International Event: Armenia Regional Industrial Expo 2017

On September 08-10, 2017 seven successful rural businesses supported by the American University of Armenia’s Turpanjian Rural Development Program (AUA TRDP) already for the 2nd time participated in the regional universal trade-industrial expo-forum Armenia EXPO 2017, which took place in Yerevan, Armenia. The businesses from various regions of Armenia and Artsakh showcased their products to different national and international companies as well as to individual visitors of the expo. 

They included a sewing workshop from Noyemberyan in Tavush, a felting business from the Aregnadem village in Shirak, a cheese production plant from the bordering village of Koti (Tavush region), Diary milk Production Company from Gndevaz village of Vayots Dzor, as well as a honey production business and sewing workshop from Chartar and Noragyugh villages in Artsakh.

The event was very well received. The AUA TRDP booth was constantly full of visitors from different countries interested to buy handmade bags, felted shoes and to taste some delicious honey or cheese produced in the bordering community of Tavush or in Artsakh. The food producing businesses received a substantial number of offers of cooperation from local stores and distributing companies to enter national and foreign markets.

The products sewn and made in the sewing and felting workshops received many orders from other businesses, as well as from individual visitors. The honey production business from the Chartar village of Artsakh received cooperation offer from an exporting company representative, while two other people were interested in placing large orders of honey for exporting to Europe.

The program itself got a lot of attention from the visitors for being a unique program in Armenia that gives rural residents an opportunity to realize their potential and develop their own communities through their own capabilities. The beneficiaries were very grateful to the program for supporting their participation in the event that greatly increased their marketing potential and opened new opportunities for further development of their businesses.