Originally planned for one master's student, the collaboration with Professor Reinhard Neugschwandtner and the Akunk student research farm facilitated approval for an additional master's student and a PhD student. They will be conducting field studies on crops beneficial to Armenia, with the PhD student focusing on trials in Austria to bring high-quality research skills back to ANAU, and the master's student focusing on field trials in Armenia and at the Akunk farm.
Following the vice-rector's recent visit to BOKU, a comprehensive course on teaching skills and motivation will be set up, both in person and digitally, with the expertise of Alexandra Strauß-Sieberth from BOKU. This aims to address motivation challenges within the teaching team, thus enhancing student interest in the master's program.
Through collaboration with the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), an English digital course on organic farming consisting of 10 parts has been made available to the SOAA team and this year's master's students at no additional cost. This enriches the knowledge of existing teaching staff and exposes new staff members to organic farming principles.
Additional mobility grants were obtained, allowing for increased staff exchange between ANAU and BOKU, as well as facilitating two ANAU students' exchange semester at BOKU this fall.
The project received significant exposure through dissemination events, including coverage on National TV 1st Channel and social media platforms. Participation in events like "Towards Organic Future" further highlighted the project's objectives and opportunities offered by the OAMP.
The production of the first value-added organic product, Apple Chips, at the Akunk farm marked a milestone. This collaborative effort involved stakeholders, the teaching team, and students, enhancing practical learning opportunities.
Stakeholder meetings, organic talks, organic tea and wine tasting events have been organized.
BOKU Professor Reinhard Neugschwandtner's visit initiated a field trial "class" aimed at designing, implementing, analyzing, and publishing field trial experiments at the Akunq farm. Adjustments were made to intensify collaboration with APPEAR scholars, focusing on soil improvement and scientific publication processes.
Establishment of Teaching Skills Course is in progress. Course planning is underway, with collaboration from BOKU's teaching experts, aimed at improving teaching quality and motivation.
During the latest reporting period, the Strengthening Organic Agriculture in Armenia (SOAA) project has achieved remarkable milestones in its mission to promote organic agriculture in the region. These achievements underscore significant progress towards the SOAA project's overarching goal of advancing organic agriculture in Armenia. With tangible outcomes contributing to research, education, and sustainable farming practices, the project continues to make meaningful strides towards a more sustainable future for Armenian agriculture.