Back to their homeland

There is always a silver lining in a cloud and so is during the pandemic times, because the remote learning practice has enabled many people overseas to learn with Armenian professionals about many aspects of agriculture.

As the Armenian economy grows and the agriculture is being matched with modern technologies, running a business in Armenia gets more and more attractive and it can be very profitable if the owners are knowledgeable and technically skillful enough to manage the business. This is an inspiration and motive for Armenian Diaspora who want to head back to their homeland and develop it with their viable business ideas.

Today we are sharing a story of a family, which has settled in Canada since 2017, but their hearts and thoughts are in Armenian highlands.

Ani Sahakyan has been thinking of coming back to her homeland if she could set up a business in the greenhouse industry.  However, before moving to Armenia, she should have acquired proper education about the field and be ready for the technical challenges that she might encounter in the agribusiness sector.

Having this goal in her mind, she decided to take part in the “Establishment of Small and Medium-Size Greenhouses” state-funded program to enhance her knowledge and get the support from the Government.

“Armenia is a great market, and right now is the right time to return Armenia and start something on your own,” says Ani.

She has been thinking a lot about where to start and what kind of product to grow in the greenhouse. After thinking it over she decided to start with growing tomatoes and extend the business to cucumber and strawberry production in the future stages of business activity.

Ani says that the 10-day training course was exactly what she needed because the course covered the basics of the production in the greenhouse and the vegetables chosen were exactly what they needed to know about.

Ani mentions that they have discussed the characteristics and features of this industry with instructors, classmates, and experts in the field. They all were very supportive and happy to share their experience with her. This has created a room for future collaboration and friendship.

The attachment to cultural and family values has been one of the reasons why Armenians often come back to their homeland. However, nowadays the business potential that Armenia offers, makes it even more alluring to return and create their own paradise.

The 10-day training course is conducted within the scope of Support Program “Establishment of Small and Medium-Size Greenhouses”, which is implemented by the Ministry of Economy. Interested candidates should apply to the Ministry of Economy and after reviewing their applications, the documents will be forwarded to the ICARE Foundation and we will contact the applications for further details.