Strategic Plan for Lori Berd Community
Territorial Strategy / Rural Development / Community Research
2026
01/
Community & Task
Lori Berd, near Stepanavan, is a stunning region of deep canyons, a medieval fortress, and historic villages — including a 17th-century Greek settlement. Like many rural areas in Armenia, it faces depopulation, and Syun Agency came here to help change that narrative. The core challenge: shift nine villages from fragmented survival to a unified strategy that leverages each one's distinct potential. Within a French-Armenian state partnership, the team identified key anchor projects to unlock long-term growth for local producers, families, and the region's diverse culture. With special thanks to Territoires Solidaires, the Lori Berd Municipality, and the Lori Region administration.
02/
Research & Field Visits
The work began with hard facts — demographic, agricultural, and tourism data across the region: ~6,000 residents, ~2,000 local farms, 15,000+ hectares of territory, and 100+ heritage sites spread across nine villages. But data only tells half the story: the team visited all nine villages firsthand, walking the roads and sitting down with residents, village heads, and local entrepreneurs to map their daily challenges and vision for the future.
03/
Strategy
Research and fieldwork were translated into a scalable, four-part framework for action: Community, linking villages into one ecosystem; Pathways, connecting anchor hubs and niche projects; a step model, connecting producers to markets; and four distinct development directions guiding where to focus first.
04/
Proposal & What's Next
The work resulted in a longlist of 30+ initiatives across four strategic directions — Global Development, Agriculture & Local Production, Tourism & Heritage, and Community Improvement — each structured by budget, timeline, impact, and location, and mapped across the full territory to connect all nine villages into one cohesive ecosystem. The next step is prioritization — identifying key anchor projects to drive implementation and fundraising.