Back in 2021 in September, two charity organizations, COAF and AMAA, with a Memorandum of Understanding launched the four-year CheeseUp community economic development program in six villages of Lori region (Chkalov, Debet, Dzoragyugh, Dsegh, Vahagni, Yeghegnut), which should have visible results after two years.
The CheeseUp program aimed to promote the growth of high-quality and high-value milk and cheese production from production to market, as well as to ensure stability of the value chain and stable incomes for rural areas.
Let us briefly present the components implemented until now and the intermediate results.
Courses and Training
Families learn. In this component of the project, we have cooperated extensively with various local and international organizations, including: Strategic Development Agency, Card Foundation, PUM Netherlands Experts Program, etc. This part of the program was the best foundation for the families to continuously learn and become skilled in efficient animal husbandry. During these two years, trainings were organized on the following topics:
- Cattle care,
- Feeding,
- Cattle milking, milking technology (automated and manual), hygiene rules,
- Cattle health care.
In the framework of the project, an artificial insemination specialist was also trained to ensure quality and affordable artificial insemination services in targeted communities.
Artificial Insemination
From 2021 up to now, we continue to empower our families, helping them to get purebreds, including Swiss, Holstein, Simmental, Aishir, Jersey. So far, more than 500 inseminations have been done, and in the near future the calves of the first generation, which are already becoming heifers, will also be inseminated, and the program will receive the second generation of purebred cattle. Purebreds contribute to obtaining high-quantity and high-quality milk, which in turn will ensure the possibility of producing high-value cheese for factories.
Seeds
In order to get high-quantity and high-quality milk, it is necessary to feed the cows with high-quality feed in addition to the purebreed. To this end, CheeseUp undertook the cultivation by families of more than 30 years of uncultivated land in target villages. As a result, around 138 families from six villages were included in the cultivation of 5 types of fodder seeds, cultivating a total of 390 hectares of land during the last two years. This component is a serious indicator for the program and the communities, as the amount of cultivated land has increased by more than 100 percent, reaching 390 ha from 198 ha. By cultivating corn, beets, barley, alfalfa and oats, the families are able to provide quality food to their cattle. In this component of the program, the cooperation with the families is as follows: the program provides the family with fodder crop seed, the family does all the rest work: planting, sowing, cultivating, harvesting, processing, etc.
Agricultural Machinery
This component of the project was the best opportunity for families living in six villages of Lori region to have real means to cultivate uncultivated land and ensure the feed component in the milk value chain.
Until now, through three agricultural cooperatives formed within the framework of the project (Dzori Hask, Dsegha Arter, EVVAG), the following agricultural equipment has been provided to six villages:
- grain harvester,
- grinders,
- truck for improvement of intermountain roads,
- tractor,
- milking machines for automated milking,
- manure spreading attachment for soil fertilization.
Upgrading Technologically and Technically Two Local Cheese Factories
Within two years, the program selected two local cheese factories from the target villages and strengthened them technically. As a result, the two cheese plants have become skilled in the production of Gouda cheese, they produce Lori and Chanakh with higher quality, and in the near future they plan to produce suluguni and other high-value cheeses as well.
The cheesemakers of the factories continuously participate in trainings conducted by local and international experts, becoming more skilled in cheesemaking.
Now the factories are in the branding stage and the “DULCHIZ” brand in Dzoragyugh and “lemontani” in Dsegh have already been formed and registered, also, they are in the continuous strengthening process.
New Jobs
One of the most important pledges of the project is the increase of jobs. In two years, more than 20 jobs have been added: drivers, operators of grinders, as a result of the expansion of the fields, the implemented works have indirectly increased, therefore, the workers as well.
The entire insemination process is carried out and supervised by a trained insemination technician.
In summary, let’s note that CheeseUp, jointly implemented by AMAA and COAF, committed to put the six villages of Lori on the rails of sustainable economic development, and we are happy to reiterate our willingness to continue empowering and standing by the villages, contributing to their development.
The project will continue the planned activities in the next two years, implementing the components of insemination, seed and strengthening cheese factories. CheeseUp’s emphasis will also be on continuous monitoring to maintain a quality course of action.
