From Dream to Reality: How EU Support Contributes to Regional Development

In Armenia’s Lori region, in Alaverdi, lies ArmBee Honey Farm, a beekeeping center and guesthouse. Here, you can undergo apitherapy, enjoy a panoramic view of the town, spend the night, taste honey and wine, and simply relax and enjoy the sun in the company of two little cats, Cherry and Rizhik.

In 2018, Vigen Mnatsakanyan, the founder and director of the center, with 15 years of experience in beekeeping, decided to develop a clear business plan and create something that had never existed in the region or in Armenia before.

“In 2018, I learned through social media that the EU and the SME Development Agency, now the Enterprise Armenia, were launching new programs to support business initiatives and assist in the creation and growth of businesses. At that time, I attended business courses in Stepanavan and wrote my first business plan for the establishment of an apitherapy and apitourism center. The project was approved, and within its framework, we created our first two the apitherapy huts,” says Vigen.

According to him, apitourism centers are not something you can find in every country, but in Armenia, apitourism can succeed. As a result of various training courses supported by the European Union, for Vigen, the key takeaway has been the effective analysis of business ideas, uncovering their strengths and weaknesses, and the opportunity to invest time and effort into ideas that have the potential to succeed.

Beekeeping is not just about bees and honey; it has a much broader impact and message. “Beekeeping is beneficial for the entire ecosystem. Over 80% of pollination is carried out by honeybees, meaning that without bees, there will be no harvest. In fact, bees contribute to the preservation of the ecosystem. Apitherapy also has many positive effects, helping to combat stress and fatigue. In the apitherapy huts, under the beds, bees live, and it is scientifically proven that at a height of 60 cm above the hive, there is a biofield that is very beneficial for human health.”

The founder of ArmBee Honey Farm has also taken on social responsibility and provides free training every year to 10 young people so they can start their own beekeeping business. When it comes to sharing knowledge, Vigen is very generous.

The center is involved in the production of beehives, breeding queen bees and artificial insemination, selling bee colonies, apitherapy, producing honey and honey-based wine, and local tourism. It also offers a mobile beekeeping service.

The European Union carries out numerous diverse programmes equivalent to this activity and provides appropriate support.

The honey tasting room, the apitherapy huts, and the mobile beekeeping service became a reality within the framework of the Local Empowerment of Actors for Development (LEAD) Programme, implemented with the EU’s financial support.

The two large apitherapy houses, aromatherapy masks and devices, as well as the kitchen equipment, appliances, and utensils necessary for the guesthouse, were provided through the “EU4Business: Innovative Tourism and Technology Development for Armenia” programme. Meanwhile, the solar energy stations and numerous beekeeping devices that enable certified transitional honey production were provided under the “EU Green Agriculture Initiative in Armenia” programme.

Vigen speaks with great gratitude about the support from the European Union and other international organisations. He says that no matter how good your ideas are, it’s difficult to go down the path alone, and establishing and growing a business is even harder because there are many obstacles. But the support helps you gain a complete understanding of your field and, by working effectively, also contributes to the development of that sector in your country.

In the past 12 years, the European Union has provided around 80 million euros to support the development of various sectors in Armenia’s regions. A significant portion of the support has been directed toward projects implemented in the regions of Syunik, Lori, Tavush, and Shirak.