Income-Generating Activities - Action Against Hunger

Field handbook • Scientific and Technical Department
in expansion of business. The main production of this business is lamb meat and wool.
The demand for lamb is quite good and exceeds the supply. Lamb and wool will mainly
be sold through brokers. Lamb sales in 2005 are expected to return 1,413,000 drams
and wool sale 140,000 drams.
Lambs will be sold at 3-4 months age and with the intensive feeding, they should
reach 12kg. 70-80% of the lambs will be sold and the rest will be kept for reproduction.
There are veterinarians and specialists in that field among group members who
assist in organizing the group work. The group, by its own means, acquired a type of
shed that helps to organize the summer season properly. The group has plans to start
construction of a stone or a concrete outhouse that will help to organize a correct
transition of guarding during wintertime. ACF-E provides not only financial and material
support, but also vocational assistance in sheep breeding, land processing, market
research, management and accounting.
History and description of group foundation
The project is implemented by ACF-E and financed by Swiss Development Corporation.
The main objective of the project is to improve the living standards of men and women
in rural Sisian. The best way of assisting vulnerable families is to provide them with an
activity with a long-term stable income. “Gisastgh” sheep breeding group was founded
in March of 2003. In July 2004 the first phase of the project finished and the second phase
started. According to the procedure of the second phase of the project, the IGA groups
should be formed on a voluntary basis. “Gisastgh” sheep breeding IGA group consists of
15 members and all the members decided themselves to be members of the group. According
to requirements of the new phase, a new Memorandum of Understanding was
signed by and between ACF-E and IGA group. A new Internal Regulation was elaborated
and accepted after discussions about it with the group. The group elected a leader for
planning of works, coordinating and implementing them. Form of ownership is collective.
The group members have no rights to sell or alienate the animals received from
ACF-E. They can sell only new generation of animals (increase of herd through their work).
Production and Service
The main production is lamb and wool. Lamb meat is in high demand. Taking into
consideration the fact that qualitative characteristics of the lambs in highlands and
foothills are better than those of Ararat valley, the middlemen resell the meat in regions
of Ararat valley and Yerevan markets where they easily find consumers.
The characteristics of lamb meat are:
• Taste
• Fattiness
INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES: A KEY CONCEPT IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURTIY
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