Seed Multiplication    Diagnostic Lab    Other Programs    About ATG    How to Help    Armenia    Karabakh    Investment
Armenian Technology Group Armenian Technology Group

TV Report
Profiles ATG

DONATE NOW
Farmer Feature
Bike for Hope
News
Testimonials
Links
Photo Gallery
Newsletters
Subscribe
Contact ATG
Site Map

Reviving Karabagh's Honey Industry

 
In the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, ATG has helped restore the region's honey industry. During the Soviet era, 3,500 bee hives in Karabakh produced up to 30 metric tons of honey annually. However, war and instability reduced both the number of hives and the level of production by tenfold.

In 1999, ATG led a project that targeted approximately $1 million toward reviving Karabakh's honey industry. Of that sum, $568,700 came from the U.S. Agency for International Development and the remainder from private donors.

The project resulted in the construction of 3,000 bee hives in Karabakh, all built locally. Three hundred families each received ten hives. For many families, the hives boosted household income by $500 annually. A Honey Producers Association was also formed to help the program's participants market their product. As a provision of the project, honey producers agreed to donate 10 percent of their product to local charitable organizations, hospitals, and needy families.

ATG technical advisors have worked with honey producers to promote food safety, packaging, and marketing. Beekeepers have been provided with training seminars based on publications from the University of California Cooperative Extension Division.

Click here to view photos related to this topic.