INTER-COMMUNITY COOPERATION AND THE PERMACULTURE MODEL IN THE RANCHPAR, SIS AND HOVTASHAT RURAL COMMUNITIES

Abstract

This scientific study is devoted to assessing the sustainable development potential of the rural communities of Sis, Ranchpar, and Hovtashat in the Ararat Region through an integrated analysis of economic, social, and environmental components. Sustainable development is considered as a system that simultaneously ensures economic growth, improvement of living standards, social well-being, and the conservation of natural resources. The aim of the research is to analyze the main economic sectors operating in these communities: crop production, livestock farming, and aquaculture – evaluate their efficiency, and propose new integrated development approaches. The results of the study indicate that these three sectors are currently developing unevenly and independently from one another, resulting in incomplete and inefficient use of available resources. In the field of crop production, the main problems include small land plots, declining soil fertility, lack of investment, and low production efficiency. Livestock farming is constrained by the insufficient use of pasture and feed resources, leading to low profitability. At the same time, aquaculture, although comparatively profitable, places significant pressure on water and land resources, creating environmental risks. The research demonstrates that the existing land, water, and human resources of these communities provide an opportunity to establish a more efficient and profitable agricultural system. For this purpose, a development model based on inter-community cooperation and permaculture principles is proposed, including land consolidation, the introduction of a five-field crop rotation system, feed production organization, and the integrated development of livestock farming and aquaculture. Based on the results, an integrated development model is proposed, grounded in inter-community cooperation and permaculture principles. The model includes land consolidation, the implementation of crop rotation systems, and the establishment of a sustainable feed base. The proposed "Sis–Ranchpar–Hovtashat Agro Cluster" system can contribute to increased productivity, higher incomes for farming households, reduced environmental risks, and the long-term socio-economic sustainability of the studied rural communities.