On 19 July, the Armenian province of Shirak will host the official opening of the Amasia Wool Factory. With the EU’s support, an entire value-chain development approach for woollen products is being restored in the Amasia municipality of Shirak province and the surrounding eight communities.
The factory has been funded by the EU and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development of Armenia through the “EU4Shirak: Wool for Jobs” project, part of the Pilot Regional Development Programme (PRDP). The project has a total budget of €549,819 (the EU contribution is €335,000).
Shirak region, and the Amasia municipality in particular, is known for its long tradition of sheep breeding and traditional use of wool, an integral part of its inhabitants' cultural heritage.
The project is designed as an intervention to revive and modernise the wool value chain and the arts of wool use in the Shirak region as a motor for job creation and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, thus increasing employment and economic competitiveness in the crafts sector in the entire region.