On February 20 and 21, 2016 “Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development” (CARD) Foundation, together with ICARE Foundation organized a two day practical workshop on winter pruning within the “Wine Quality Improvement” Project, financed and supported by German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
The workshop was led by the instructor of viticulture Mr. Joseph Watzl and CARD experts. The senior and junior students of the EVN Wine Academy, a joint initiative between ICARE and Semina Consulting, actively took part in the pruning process. The students had the opportunity to gain practical knowledge and experience in winter pruning of 2 ha of vines.
The intervention aimed at developing products and services related to the management of vineyards, as well as grafting of native Armenian varieties onto Phyloxera-resistant rootstocks and cuttings of international grape varieties. Grafting material has been selected from the vineyard and stored in Yerevan.
The experimental vineyard where the pruning was conducted is located in Aygehovit village of Tavush Marz. In 2003 USDA Marketing Assistance Project (MAP) implemented the establishment of the vineyard with American phyloxera resistant rootstocks and international Vitis Vinifera grape varieties. CARD Foundation reacquired the rights of ownership and management of the vineyard from the Regional Center of Agricultural Support of Tavush Province in 2015.
“Today we are here to bring the vines back to the right shape and to harvest material for grafting. I think this is a good opportunity to train the students on location”, said Mr. Joseph Watzl, who is in Armenia to promote viticulture services and provide consultations in vineries.