Call for the Development and Implementation of Demonstration Projects -  Introducing sustainable Farm-to-Fork practices in Armenia’s fruit, berry, and nut value chains
Context

The Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus of Armenia (REC Caucasus Armenia), within the framework of the regional project ‘Promoting Green Deal Readiness in the Eastern Partnership Countries’ (PROGRESS) is implemented on behalf of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Government of Germany. Within the Federal Government, the IKI is anchored in the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN). Selected project is also the responsibility of the Federal Foreign Office (AA). PROGRESS is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, as the lead agency, in partnership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus (REC), the European Business Association (EBA) Moldova and the Institute for Economics and Forecasting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IEF)., supports demonstration projects aimed at promoting sustainable, resource-efficient, and climate-resilient Farm-to-Fork practices across fruit, berry, and nut value chains in Armenia.

Objective and Expected Results
The objective of the Call for the Development and Implementation of Demonstration Projects is to select innovative, practical, and scalable demonstration projects that offer sustainable, environmentally responsible, and climate-resilient solutions in Farm-To-Fork ecotourism, agritourism actions within food-related sectors, particularly in the topics of fruits, berries and nuts. The project implementation is to solely be applied to Armenia. Projects should address sustainability improvements across various stages of the value chain, including primary production, post-harvest handling, processing, packaging, logistics, food loss reduction and market access.. These projects should be grounded in the 3R or 5R principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and where applicable, Refuse and Recover), fostering a strong culture of waste prevention and circularity. Project proposals should clearly show the link between consumers and the agriculture and food industry.
Projects should aim to:
• Improve environmental and resource efficiency performance
• Reduce food loss and waste along the value chain
• Reduce GHG emissions across the value chains and ensure additional income at farm level
• Strengthen food safety and traceability systems
• Integrate circular economy principles where applicable
• Enhance climate resilience and sustainable production practices
• Direct marketing such as “harvest-to-plate”; “pick-and-buy”; “farm-to-table”
Project proposals incorporating digital tools or digitalization components to enhance effectiveness, monitoring, or scalability will be considered a strong advantage.
Expected results include:

• Implementation of Farm-to-Fork logical pathway in actions
• Measurable improvements in sustainability/market access across at least one value chain stage
• Replicable models and practical recommendations for value chain upgrading
• Enhanced awareness and capacity among producers and processors;
• Minimum 10% co-financing from applicants (cash or in-kind);
• Projects grounded in the 3R or 5R principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, Recover).
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants include registered businesses, CSOs, research institutions, social enterprises, and consortia legally operating in Armenia with activities related to agriculture, agri-food processing, recycling, packaging, and circular economy solutions.
Eligible applicants must:
1. Be legally registered in Armenia;
2. Operate in sectors related to agriculture, agri-processing, post-harvest, food processing, logistics, value chain services or sustainable food system solutions; agritourism;
3. Propose projects focused on improving sustainability, resource efficiency, traceability, food safety, circularity, or climate resilience across one or more stages of the Farm-to-Fork value chain;
4. Provide at least 10% co-financing (cash and/or in-kind).
Priority Areas
Proposals must explicitly address one or more of the following packaging-related topics:
• Sustainable primary production
• Post-harvest improvements
• Sustainable and resource-efficient processing solutions
• Circular solutions including by-product valorization and waste/loss reduction
• Sustainable packaging as part of integrated value chain upgrading (optional)Digital tools for traceability, lifecycle monitoring or supply chain coordination ;
• Reusable or modular packaging formats (optional)
• Improving market access
Project Duration and Budget
Each project must be implemented within a maximum of 20 months, concluding by November 2027.
Applicants may request funding between EUR 5,000 – EUR 25,000 (in AMD equivalent). Each applicant must contribute at least 10% of the total project budget through co-financing (cash or in-kind). Applicants should be committed to ensuring that the provided equipment will support farmers and agribusinesses. Public benefits should be guaranteed. The applicants will share their experience with relevant beneficiaries, organize trainings, and possibly share sustainable practices and benefits with the general public.
Evaluation and Selection Criteria
Projects will be assessed using the following weighted criteria:
Evaluation Criterion Weight (%)
Environmental sustainability and climate benefit 20%
Relevance to Farm-To-Fork actions 20%
Replication and scalability potential 10%
Use of local renewable or recycled resources 5%
Feasibility and cost-effectiveness 5%
Gender responsiveness and inclusivity 10%
Innovation and added value 10%
Circular economy and 3R/5R alignment 5%
Market access, employment generation potential 15%

All selected projects will undergo an Environmental and Climate Assessment following the PROGRESS methodology.
Submission Package
Applicants must submit the following documents:
1. Application Form (Annex I)
2. Detailed Budget (Annex II)
3. Activity Plan / Workplan (Annex III)
4. Proof of Co-financing Commitment (Annex IV)
5. Registration Certificate of the Applicant
6. Optional: Supporting visuals, technical designs, or links
Deadline and Contact
Applications must be submitted by email to: inforeccaucasus@gmail.com
Deadline: 23 March 2026, 18:00 Yerevan time
Applications submitted in hard copy or after the deadline will not be further considered.

Clean_CfP_ Demo _ Farm-To_Fork _ PROGRESS _ RECC AM

Eng_ANNEX_I_PROGRESS_Application_form_GIZ

Eng_ANNEX_II_PROGRESS_Demo_Budget Form_ENG

Eng_ANNEX_III_PROGRESS_Project_Activities_Workplan_Template

Eng_ANNEX_IV_PROGRESS_Commitment Form_GIZ

Eng_PROGRESS_Demo projects selection criteria_GIZ