Within ACBA Federation/Impact Hub Yerevan Scholarship joint program and with the financial assistance of ACBA Federation, ''Armat'' (Root) Program has got the opportunity to become a member of the unique eco-system of Impact Hub for a year, as well as get business consulting from mentors of various fields, including the specialists of ACBA FEDERATION, depending on existing needs during the development of the startup.
Since 2017 ISSD NGO, jointly with ACBA Federation and Impact Hub Yerevan, had been carrying out a program “Living Herbs”. Cooperating with the community council of Yervandashat and village households of Yervandashat and other communities, the program aimed to develop new social entrepreneurship. Later the program was renamed and now it is called “Armat”. During the program implementation the team also got a grant from The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU).
The goal of ''Armat'' is to bring new senses of taste to the lives of their customers, supplying fresh, sweet-smelling crops with a long shelf-life which are greatly demanded in Armenia, as well as frequently used crops not in pieces but in special containers. The crops are sold in flowerpots which allow to ensure a longer shelf-life and freshness of products from 2 weeks to several months, with possibility of gathering the harvest once or several times a year.
The main beneficiaries of the project are the residents of Armenian rural communities (particularly Armavir region), individuals involved in such fields as agriculture and nature protection, as well as educational institutions.
The program team members are mediators between farmers and consumers. The team signed contracts with farmers of border villages to provide them with seeds and containers obtained from local and foreign suppliers in order to grow the demanded crops. Thanks to this program it is possible to bring a breath of fresh air to the agricultural sector and provide villagers with new financial flows.
The sale of crops in containers facilitates transportation processes. Unlike other products available in the market, for example, herbs, ''Armat'' products have greater security and stability from the financial perspective as their shelf-life in markets and stores is much longer.
It goes without saying that agricultural works are mainly seasonal, i.e. employees work for 8 months a year and rest 1/3 of the year. This fact and the low salaries of workers involved in the agricultural sector lead to very hard social conditions for villagers. The main social impact of the project is to provide the villagers of Armenia with stable monthly financial flows which will lead to reduction of emigration and improvement of living standards of the residents of border villages.
