Developing Armenia’s High-Tech Industry Vision

Despite significant growth in Armenia’s high-tech industry in recent decades, the country still requires a unified national vision and coordinated approach to harness its full potential in this rapidly evolving sector. Establishing such a framework is essential for directing efforts toward sustainable growth and competitiveness in the global high-tech landscape.

In its dedication to boosting Armenia’s high-tech sector, the USAID Economic Foundations for a Resilient Armenia Activity facilitated an extensive public-private dialogue to shape the framework of Armenia’s National High-Tech Industry Strategy. The Innovate Armenia 2024 workshop facilitated constructive discussions between government officials, industry and academic leaders, and international organizations.

Collaborative session on the formation of the initial framework for Armenia’s National High-Tech Strategy, with participation of the Minister and Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry, Deputy-Minister of Economy, and sector representatives.

Through a detailed examination of the current state, challenges, and opportunities within Armenia’s high-tech sector, a preliminary framework for the National High-Tech Industry Strategy was formulated, laying the foundation for a vision to guide the industry’s future growth and development. As a next step, with Economic Foundations’ support and engagement, the strategy development committee, formed by the Ministry of High-Tech Industry, will refine this blueprint into a comprehensive draft strategy. It will encompass realistic objectives and detailed action plans to propel the sector forward.

“Without this essential document, decisions made lack a fundamental basis and may consequently prove ineffective. Creating this document allows us to demonstrate our planned actions and provides a roadmap for our future endeavors. It ensures clarity on the sequence and order of our actions, guiding Armenia’s contribution on the global stage.”- Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia

Supporting the development of Armenia’s National High-Tech Strategy not only enhances the capacity of both government and industry partners but also reaffirms to investors Armenia’s position as a viable, emerging high-tech destination fostering innovation across the economy. By demonstrating a clear roadmap for growth and innovation, Armenia can attract increased investment and solidify its position as a leading player in the global high-tech arena.

Mahama Abdulai, a cocoa farmer from Sori No. 1 in the Savannah region of Ghana, was looking for a second crop to generate additional income. Through his village agricultural adviser, he heard about the activities of the USDA Food for Progress West Africa PRO-Cashew Project. Initially, he had little interest in cashew plantations and limited knowledge of their potential benefits. Abdulai was unsure of the crop’s profitability and didn’t know the techniques needed for successful cultivation, which made him reluctant to start.

Despite these reservations, Abdulai decided to give it a try and established a two-acre cashew plantation using grafted seedlings supplied by the PRO-Cashew Project.

The project also provided Abdulai with comprehensive training on farm management techniques, focusing specifically on how these techniques could improve the quality of cashew nuts. Through this training, Abdulai learned the importance of proper cashew farm management, fertilization, pruning, and pest control in ensuring healthy tree growth and optimizing nut quality.

Mahama Abdulai created a cashew plantation in Ghana with the support of PRO-Cashew.

“The knowledge gained will not only help me improve my cashew productivity but also significantly enhance the quality of the cashew nuts produced.”

PRO-Cashew supports nurseries, cashew seedling retailers, and other stakeholders in improving the efficiency and sustainability of grafted seedling production through private-sector partnerships that expand the supply of cost-effective, high-performing seedlings. The distribution of grafted seedlings is aimed primarily at small-scale producers of raw cashew nuts. Last year, from his two-acre cashew farm, Abdulai harvested about three bags (85 kilograms each) which he sold at $0.32 (5 GHS) per kilogram. This year, his yield has been excellent, producing seven bags which he sold at $0.59 (9 GHS) per kilogram. This improvement has enabled him to pay the full tuition fees for his son, who is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree program at the University for Development Studies in Tamale, and to purchase additional farm inputs for his plantation.

Overview

The five-year USAID-funded John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program connects expert volunteers working in the U.S. agriculture sector with host-country farmers, farm groups, agribusinesses, and other relevant institutions to strengthen agricultural value chains and promote sustainable improvements in food security and agricultural processing, production, and marketing.

The Program’s primary aim is to generate sustainable, broad-based economic growth in the agricultural sector through voluntary technical assistance. A secondary goal is to increase the U.S. public’s understanding of international development issues and programs and international understanding of the U.S. and U.S. development programs.

Approach

The Southern Africa F2F Program, implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), builds on partnerships established during the previous iteration of the program, which ran from 2018-2023. With a focus on rural enterprise development, the Program employs a market systems approach to address the barriers preventing smallholder farmers from accessing local market systems and opportunities. Technical assistance in production strengthening, enterprise development, and market facilitation helps farmers integrate into their local economies and identify opportunities for growth, improving incomes and contributing to regional economic development.

To diffuse innovative technologies and practices, the Program will also partner with Feed the Future Innovation Labs, U.S. universities, researchers, and leaders in the U.S. agribusiness sector. Additionally, the Program will continue its Processor-to-Processor initiative, a collaboration with the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) and Feed the Future Soybean Innovation Lab, which pairs AOCS members with agroprocessors in Southern Africa.​

Volunteer assignments are developed and implemented with a strong focus on climate-smart agriculture and inclusive development, emphasizing work with women, youth, and individuals with disabilities. Assignments focus on the following examples, among others:

1. Production Strengthening:
   • Integrated Pest Management
   • Integrated Soil Fertility Management
   • Climate Smart Agriculture practices
   • Improved input and seed systems
   • Best practices in crop and livestock production
2. Market Facilitation:
   • Market analysis
   • Pricing
   • Contract negotiations
   • Traceability, certification, and food safety
   • Outgrower scheme support
3. Enterprise Development: 
   • Business management
   • Strategic planning
   • Organizational development
   • Financial management
   • Finance access

How To Become a Host or Volunteer

1. Potential hosts and volunteers contact F2F to express interest in partnering with the Program.
2. F2F develops a scope of work for each assignment based on the requirements of the host and experience of prospective volunteers.
3. F2F matches hosts with volunteers based on their expertise and F2F’s available assignments. Please note that recruitment time varies depending on availability and that assignments usually last three weeks.
4. In-country F2F teams provide logistical support for hosts and volunteers and hire translators as needed.

Learn More About the F2F Program: Contact us at f2frecruitment@cnfa.org

Overview

USAID is investing in innovative, sustainable and scalable solutions to strengthen Armenia’s economic resilience, and promote competitiveness and economic governance through close collaboration with the public and private sectors. USAID Economic Foundations for a Resilient Armenia is a five-year (2023-2028), $24.5 million budget activity focusing on delivering technical assistance to the government and supporting the private sector and associations in the key areas of agriculture, tourism and high-tech industries.

Approach

1. Institutional and human capacity: USAID Economic Foundations supports the Government of Armenia to deliver effective economic stewardship through improved institutional and human capacity and support the implementation of the Government’s 2021-2026 action plan. The Activity also aims to assist the Government in drafting key legal documents on export, entrepreneurship, investment and the targeted sectors.
2. Export competitiveness: USAID Economic Foundations works with industry associations and anchor firms in tourism, high-tech and agriculture to help businesses increase sales, access high-value markets and improve competitiveness through enhanced quality of products, service delivery and export diversification. To promote sector competitiveness, USAID Economic Foundations supports industry organizations and other private collaborative entities to build their organizational capacity and improve and expand member services.
3. Catalytic sectoral investments: To increase the availability and productive use of financial capital and promote catalytic sectoral investments, the Activity is developing an Investment Mobilization Platform, building a working network of investors, financial service providers, businesses and government partners.
4. Response to economic shocks and opportunities: USAID Economic Foundations assists Armenia to take advantage of periods of economic growth and navigate economic downturns.

Aichatou Ali Mamadou is a shining example of what one can achieve with passion, hard work and support from the right sources. Born and raised in the city of Zinder in Niger, she had always dreamt of pursuing a career in veterinary medicine.

After completing her primary and secondary studies, she enrolled in the prestigious Inter-State School of Veterinary Sciences and Medicine (EISMV) in Dakar, Senegal, where she excelled and graduated with honors. Then, after defending her thesis, Mamadou returned to her hometown and started working as an assistant veterinarian to gain experience and work toward fulfilling her dream of opening a veterinary clinic. However, with a lack of financial and material resources, she found herself struggling to start her own business.

After considering a bank loan, Mamadou became aware of the USAID Yalwa activity’s call for local private veterinary service (LPVS) providers, as part of its plans to finance five new LPVSs and increase the number of local livestock assistants from 343 to 400.Although LPVS networks already existed in Yalwa’s other areas of intervention, they did not yet exist in the department of Takieta where USAID Yalwa supported 12 small ruminant producer organizations, bringing together 526 members distributed as follows: 221 men, 305 women and 227 youth.

USAID Yalwa’s support to LPVSs centers around three areas: 1) preliminary direct support—which supports LPVSs to obtain the authorization and documentation needed to practice and meet health service mandates as well as to establish a simple operating system for montioring profit; 2) direct support for clinic installation—which drives investment for start-up activities, construction and equipment acquisition (cold chain, means of transport, etc.); and 3) technical support to clinicians–which serves to strengthen the capacities of veterinarians and their assistants, both through managerial and technical training.

“It was an unexpected opportunity for me to learn about Yalwa’s grant because it was exactly what I needed and was looking for,’’ said Mamadou when remembering reading the call for application the first time.

Through this support, Mamadou was finally able to start her business in 2022 with all the necessary equipment, medicine and surgical materials, including cold chain storage units for vaccines and medications. She also recruited 34 individuals to work under her supervision, ensuring better animal health services could be provided throughout the Takieta department.

Her business’ success was shown in February 2023, when she accumulated around $1,300 (700,000 FCFA) in sales. This number will only continue to grow, with awareness on the importance of livestock vaccination becoming more prominent in local communities and with farmers being offered more affordable prices to receive private veterinary services.

Today, Mamadou continues to provide top-notch veterinary services and advice to farmers in her region. Through her strong expertise, dedication and commitment to animal health and leadership, she has also inspired the community around her, especially considering the rarity of women-owned veterinary clinics in Niger. Mamadou’s story is a shining example of the potential one can achieve when provided with the right tools to succeed.

Agriculture technologies, farmer-to-farmer connections and access to markets are important determinants in ensuring that families and communities have access to a reliable source of quality food that is affordable. Business-to-business events strengthen linkages between market systems actors across locations, including input and technology suppliers, microfinance institutions, and farmers’ producer organizations. With the aim of increasing these important linkages, from June 6-8, 2023, USAID Yalwa facilitated the Technology and Innovation Market in Maradi, Niger to scale emerging innovative technologies to new potential users and to create business opportunities for market system actors, particularly youth, women entrepreneurs and people living with disabilities.

The Market showcased 26 producer organizations, 22 private enterprises, three NGOs (Catholic Relief Services, CARE International and ONG Niger Développement (N-DEV)) and the University of Maradi from the Dosso, Niamey, Maradi, and Zinder regions. Exhibitors promoted technologies related to food processing, animal production (e.g., small ruminants, poultry, livestock feed, poultry feed, technical inputs) and agricultural inputs (fertilizers such as locally produced natural rock phosphate). With over 207 exhibitors, USAID Yalwa’s collaboration with the Government of Niger and other USAID implementing partners (Sahel Collaboration and Communication, Livestock System Innovation Lab, and Youth Connect) contributed to the Market’s success. For example, N-DEV strengthened business relationships with individual buyers through the marketing of poultry incubators, dryers and mills and solar-powered irrigation pumps. Further, forty-six young entrepreneurs who were selected through Yalwa’s Marketplace Entrepreneurship and Youth Entrepreneurship for Rural Innovation in-kind grant funds established business relationships with exhibitors and increased their knowledge about innovative technologies.

Ali Sayabou, an entrepreneurial farmer from Yalwa’s grant program in the Maradi Region, was interested in the Market to see different incubator technologies for his chicken coop expansion.

“I was really impressed with Technology/Innovation fair this year. Exhibitors showcased an incredible array of advanced agricultural technologies. I particularly enjoyed the demonstration of the solar-powered irrigation pumps and the large incubators. The company representatives were very knowledgeable and ready to answer all my questions,” he said. “I would have liked to see more affordable specialized machines for small farms, but overall, it was a rewarding experience and I came away with lots of ideas to modernize my operation.”

To address the needs of farmer like Sayabou, USAID Yalwa has two funding programs for youth and women entrepreneurs, namely the Market Entrepreneurship Program and the Youth and Rural Innovation Entrepreneurship Program. These programs aim to provide farmers with equipment, agricultural processing products and training in several areas such as equipment maintenance, management, etc.

The Market exhibitors sold products and materials worth $6,743.90 (4,135,000 FCFA) over the course of the three-day event. Balami sheep and natural rock phosphate fertilizer were the most frequently purchased items by producer organizations, pointing to the strength of Yalwa’s partnerships with the University of Maradi and SOFIA S.A. As next steps, USAID Yalwa will monitor after-sale services and develop a joint plan with other implementing partners and stakeholders to scale the accessibility of technologies across partner projects’ intervention areas. The Technology and Innovation Market was such a success that many participants requested it be an annual event to continue the momentum of creating linkages across markets, businesses, and technologies.

Low productivity is a persistent problem in Imereti, a landlocked administrative region in western Georgia, bordered by the Russian occupied territory of Samachablo (South Ossetia) and therefore considered an Administrative Boundary Line territory (ABL). Very few farmers in the Imereti region have access to machinery and equipment in the ABL, especially due to the privatization of assets by the state-owned Mekanizatori LTD. To address this market failure, in 2023 the USAID-funded Resilient Communities Program invested in five private sector companies to de-risk investments and open Farm Service Centers (FSCs) along the ABL. 

Outside view of the Alva Ltd. Farm Service Center.

One notable success story regards Alva Ltd., a FSC located in the Sachkhere municipality of the Imereti region that caters to four ABL communities. With the Program’s support, Alva Ltd. acquired modern, high-capacity agricultural machinery and integrated much needed mechanization technologies into their services. Soon after receiving support from the Program, Alva Ltd. began providing machinery services to 50 ABL farmers for cultivation, tilling, pressing, and harvesting. These farmers are expected to improve their productivity, and increase the amount of land they can cultivate. Alva Ltd. also plans to start offering services to 500 additional farmers along the ABL in Sachkhere municipality, resulting in a significant transformation of this region’s agricultural landscape. 

The devastating landslide that struck the Shovi Resort on August 3, 2023, had an acute impact on the ABL (Administrative Boundary Line) community of Glola. Nearly all 110 households in the area were financially impacted by the disaster, as the village is reliant on tourists that vacation at the resort. Additionally, many tourism accommodation providers had previously taken out loans which could not be repaid due to the landslide’s impact on the tourism economy. 

The USAID Resilient Communities Program took quick action to support the continuation of businesses in the community, to maintain incomes and livelihoods and prevent the outmigration of disheartened residents of Glola. Within less than six weeks of the disaster’s occurrence, the Program designed and began implementing disaster response efforts. Specifically, the Program supported the local municipality to repair a water pipe headway in Glola that was destroyed during the landslide. It was urgent to repair the headway before winter, to prevent the village’s sole water source from freezing.  

The Program also rapidly designed a Request for Applications (RFA) to support the community’s tourism sector. This RFA will provide grants to guesthouses and local food and agricultural businesses that supply food to tourists (bakeries, restaurants and other suppliers of food). To develop the RFA, the Program first visited Glola to assess the needs of local businesses. During this visit, the Program determined that many potential grantees would struggle with submitting a grant proposal. In response, the Program adjusted its approach and simplified the grant application form. The program also adjusted content presented at the grant information session to allow potential applicants to discuss their ideas and gain a good understanding of what the Program can and cannot fund. 

Lastly, the Program reached out to TBC bank, which had collected donations from the public for response efforts in Glola. The bank committed $20,000 to the Glola RFA. Additionally, the Program has allocated around $100,000 to support Glola’s businesses and strengthen the resilience of their local economy. 

On a hot sunny day in early June, 2023, hundreds of local producers, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, a local university and government officials gathered in Maradi, Niger, to participate in the inaugural Technology and Innovation Market, facilitated by the Feed the Future-funded USAID Yalwa activity. Featuring more than 207 different exhibits showcasing emerging agricultural technologies and innovations, the event aimed to create a space for groups to identify opportunities to work with and learn from each other to increase yields, improve product quality and boost sales, enhancing Niger’s agriculture sector.  

Events like these are critical to USAID Yalwa’s approach of strengthening market systems, with farmers and entrepreneurs like Ali Sayabou from Maradi being able to connect with people—many coming from other regions like Dosso, Niamey, and Zinder—that can help drive their operations to next level. Exhibitors promoted a variety of technologies related to food processing, agricultural inputs and animal and animal feed production, with Balami sheep, processed products, seeds and fertilizers recorded as the most sought-after items. For Sayabou, this was a great opportunity for him to connect with input and technology suppliers and learn how to use incubator technologies to expand his chicken coop.  

“I was really impressed with the Technology/Innovation fair this year,” he said. “Exhibitors showcased an incredible array of advanced agricultural technologies. I particularly enjoyed the demonstration of the solar-powered irrigation pumps and the large incubators. The company representatives were very knowledgeable and ready to answer all my questions. Overall, it was a rewarding experience, and I came away with lots of ideas to modernize my operation.” 

Reaching a total of approximately $7,000 (4,135,050 FCFA) in sales and fostering 134 new business relationships, the market was a success. This coming together of different market actor allowed groups like N-DEV, a Nigerien nongovernmental organization, to sell poultry incubators, dryers, mills and solar-powered irrigation pumps in mass to buyers, generating significant profits. Furthermore, 46 youth entrepreneurs who were recipients of USAID Yalwa’s Marketplace Entrepreneurship and Youth Entrepreneurship for Rural Innovation grants established business relationships with exhibitors and increased their familiarity with the innovative technologies presented at the event.  

With a lot of positive feedback, many participants requested that the Technology and Innovation Market become an annual event to continue fostering important linkages across markets, businesses, and technology providers. Following the event, USAID Yalwa has begun monitoring the relationships built and business deals made at the fair, with the goal of developing a joint plan with other implementing partners and stakeholders to scale the accessibility of technologies more broadly across ­­the activity’s areas of intervention.  

By helping businesses meet and partner with other businesses, the USAID Yalwa activity is working to build more sustainable livelihoods, promote knowledge exchange between market players and increase agricultural producers’ access to new markets and technologies. This is particularly important when it comes to affordable quality food, with strengthened linkages contributing to greater access for rural families and communities.