Third visit of Armenian apprenticeship trainers

Ten Armenian apprenticeship trainers working in the agricultural sector were in Switzerland last week as part of the Modernizing Vocational and Educational Training in Agriculture in Armenia (MAVETA) project.

During the study week, the ten instructors gained insights from and shared expertise with Swiss farmers, agricultural machinery businesses and the Vetsuisse faculty of the University of Bern. The Armenian instructors are farmers, veterinarians and agricultural machinery experts. They were supported by interpreter Gevorg Tovmasyan.

As part of the six-day programme, BFH-HAFL soil specialist Liv Kellermann showed the guests two soil profiles near the HAFL campus, and they were quick to spot differences in soil composition compared to home.

Differences in soils

“In Armenia, unlike Switzerland, there are some places with chernozem – this is a type of soil that is very fertile and deep and has a thick Ah horizon. You don't find that in Switzerland,” Liv said.

A thick Ah horizon is the organic-rich topsoil layer in soil profiles. The “A” refers to the top mineral layer, where organic matter accumulates, and the “h” indicates a high concentration of humus, which is decomposed organic material. A thick Ah horizon indicates fertile soil with good structure and high nutrient content, making it ideal for plant growth.

Chernozem is a highly fertile soil type characterised by a deep, dark, humus-rich layer, often with a thick Ah horizon. It forms in temperate grassland regions and is prized for its excellent moisture retention and natural fertility, making it ideal for agriculture.

“Some group members also come from areas where there is soil in river floodplains and old marshes (there are also such areas in Switzerland, e.g. Seeland),” said Liv. “These areas also have high Ah horizons or even very dark, organic soil horizons.

“Our guests noticed the very dark but thin Ah horizon in our forest, and found it surprising that it is so thin. But Armenia also has hilly and mountainous regions where soils similar to those in Switzerland can be found. Some of the visitors knew this type of soil as it is found in their home regions.”

Introduction of internships

The MAVETA project runs from 2021–2030. In 2022, college directors, farmers and cheesemakers came to Switzerland and in 2023 we hosted fruit and nut farmers. Research associate Johannes Brunner, who coordinates HAFL’s contribution with colleagues Stefan Dubach, Sven Nägeli and Astrid Schmid, said changes may be made to the programme as it enters its mid-phase.

“Study weeks will possibly be replaced by longer internships in phase two of the project,” said Johannes. “Young professionals with knowledge of English will have the opportunity to do a one-to-two-month internship in Switzerland.

“We launch the pilot project soon – six young Armenian dairy technologists will complete a one-month internship at cheese dairies between June and August this year.”

One of the potential success stories of the programme so far involves Henrik Varosyan and Meruzhan Gharibyan, two farmers from Tashir and Stepanavan. During last week’s study week, they agreed to start working together on fodder production.

“HAFL will identify the best grass-clover mixture for their site, in a small plot trial, to figure out the best mixture,” said Johannes.

“This cooperation will be a win-win situation for both farmers: Henrik can improve his crop rotation and Meruzhan gets higher-quality roughage. Additionally, the demonstration plot will provide the Stepanavan State Agricultural College with a further practical learning opportunity about higher-quality roughage production.”

About MAVETA

The MAVETA project, which is a project of the HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute, aims to improve the knowledge and skills of professionals and students in agriculture and related fields. It supports the development of the legal and institutional framework for dual-track VET, and combines hands-on training with lessons in the vocational school. 

The MAVETA project is funded by a broad coalition of international and local organisations, led by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), including the Austrian Development Agency, the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Government of Armenia, the Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) NGO, Izmirlian Foundation, the Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO and Vanand Agro CJSC. The project’s implementing partners are GIZ and HEKS/EPER, with the involvement of SDA and BFH-HAFL.