Tuesday, 11 August 2015
PM: “Government, scientists should cooperate toward developing the farming sector.”
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan chaired a consultative meeting on full use of scientific potential in agriculture. In attendance were Vice Prime Minister, Minister of International Integration and Reforms Vache Gabrielyan, Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan, Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan, the leadership and faculty of the Agrarian University of Armenia.
Welcoming the participants, the Premier highlighted the importance of meetings in the given format in terms of revealing the existing problems and outlining ways of development. Hovik Abrahamyan said agriculture is a key priority on his government’s policy agenda, and they are looking forth to getting support from the scientific circles engaged in food processing and agriculture.
Agrarian University Rector Arshaluys Tarverdyan thanked the Head of Government for initiating such an unprecedented debate, which can provide an opportunity to formulate and discuss development projects.
He gave information on the activities of the Armenian Agrarian University (AAU), noting that the educational and scientific tasks set before the agrarian systems stem from the sector’s current status, the existing problems and its strategic development programs.
Note that all the research projects implemented in the AAU are financed from the State budget (AMD257.56 million in 2014). The University received State accreditation for a period of 4 years in March, 2015.
The Agrarian University of Armenia has 4 branches located in Sisian, Vanadzor, Gyumri and Artsakh respectively. The total number of students is 12,800. The University has upgraded its laboratories and established six new ones.
465 projects have been implemented in the provinces by the University’s information and counseling systems in 2005-2015, which were attended by 35,000 farmers, land users and others.
With reference to research activities, the Rector noted that the University has developed new technologies, machinery and equipment in recent years, which have been tested already and are ready for use in agronomy, farm mechanization, veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, food processing, agricultural economics and other fields.
During the exchange of opinions that followed, the meeting discussed issues related to identification of priorities, materialization of projects, development of nursery gardens and breeding-grounds and others.
Appreciating the steps aimed at modernizing the Agrarian University and the present achievements, the Prime Minister noted the importance of maintaining closer cooperation between the Agrarian University and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia. “We, the Government and the scientific circles, should try to develop the farming sector and make it more productive. We must join resources and give a result, providing guidelines for our farmers and land users,” Hovik Abrahamyan emphasized.
Wrapping up the discussion, the Prime Minister instructed the stakeholders to develop realistic programs, discuss them with the agencies concerned and submit the finalized versions to the Government for approval.
