HVA Manual Outline

Day 1: Introduction, Definitions of High and Low Value Crops

1. General introduction about the overall training structure, objectives and main topics
2. Definition of High value and Low value crops.
The trainer defines High and Low value crops and provides information about the characteristics and cultivation practices of each with further elaboration about the differences between them.
3. Calculations
During the entire day, budget calculations of different crops (4-6) are being conducted. The calculations include material costs, labor costs, expected yield, sales price, gross revenue and net income to prove the definition of the High and Low value crops.

Day 2: Results of Diagnostic Surveys, Best Practice, Marketing, Soil Management, Reduction of the negative influence of pesticides

1. Results of Diagnostic Surveys
Results of diagnostic survey are being demonstrated to the farmers via slides, specifically, different crop budgets of Armenia, Georgia, Afghanistan, Egypt and Ecuador are being presented.
2. Best Practice
Best practices of annual and perennial crop cultivation are being presented to the farmers.
3. Marketing
The trainer provides information about the export opportunities of agricultural products in European markets.
The PPM Component has recently introduced the Marketing Information Systems (MIS), due to which farmers will have a chance to learn about the everyday prices of agricultural products in the Armenian market. Taking into account the farmers’ interest in MIS and upon discussions with the HVA trainers, the TC has incorporated a PPT presentation on MIS in the scope of the topics presented during the 2nd day of the HVA trainings.
HVA Component has prepared separate PPT presentations about the cultivation practices of around 20 agricultural crops. After discussions and further edition of these materials with the HVA trainers, they have been included in the HVA Training Manual as Annex. HVA trainers are presenting them during the training sessions based on the preferences of the audience.
3.1 Price Diagrams
Annual instability of prices is being presented. Possible solutions are being suggested by an example of a monoculture crop. The best experience of the technologies of growing vegetable crops (monoculture crops) and fruit bearing crops (perennial crops) is being presented to the trainees. Later, possible market solutions are being discussed (changes in the timing of the sowing, greenhouses with polyethylene cover, growing seedlings in nurseries, crop selection, mixed sowing, dwarf tree species, etc).
4. Soil Management
Soil erosion, salinization and fertility management topics are being presented to the farmers.
5. Reduction of the negative influence of pesticides
6. Growing technologies of separate crops: trainees choose

Day 3: Integrated Pest Management, Organic Agriculture, Training Evaluation

1. Integrated pest management
2. Organic agriculture
The above mentioned materials have been updated by Mrs. Lilit Hovhannisyan. The changes have been discussed with the HVA trainers and specialists and are already included in the HVA Training Manual.
3. Training Evaluation (through Exit Questionnaires)
At the end of the training course, information about the trainees and the knowledge they obtained from the training, as well as their opinion regarding the training is being collected through Exit Questionnaire, which is later on input into the general database and analyzed for various reports of the Project.