Akhtala, Lori region, 25 August 2026 – Today, UNDP in Armenia and the International Partnership Austria, had organized the official opening ceremony of the Local Products Marketplace, Production Facility, and Tea House in the Akhtala settlement.

One of the aims of the initiative is to address one of the key barriers faced by local women producers: the lack of stable and accessible platforms for selling their products. With the support of the project, a marketplace and a tea house have been established, while a shared food processing facility has been equipped with the necessary equipment. These facilities connect local women producers with tourism flows and markets.

The opening ceremony was attended by Konstantin Sokulskiy, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Armenia; Erwin Kuenzi, Head of the Coordination Office for Technical Cooperation in Armenia and Georgia, Austrian Development Agency (ADA); as well as project partners and beneficiaries.

The initiative is based on a study of agricultural value chains conducted in the Lori region, which identified the lack of a stable market for local products as one of the key challenges. To address this issue, and based on a proposal submitted by local entrepreneur Arpenik Darchinyan and her fellow women producers, the marketplace and the tea house were established within the framework of the project. Visitors can taste and purchase herbal teas, jams, honey, traditional sweets, and other local products prepared by women from the community.

The initiative brings together 10–15 women producers and provides them with an accessible platform to present and sell their products while creating opportunities for sustainable income generation. At the same time, the equipped production facility allows women to process, dry, and package agricultural products, improving their quality and market competitiveness.