ArmInfo. RA Ministry of Agriculture and UN Food and Agricultural Organization signed an Agreement on cooperation entitled " Country Projects Priorities Margins", through which FAO will keep on supporting Armenia's agrarian sector, particularly, to support farmers, to improve the competitiveness of forestry and fishing facilities, to implement steps to increase the living standard of the country side population.
As ArmInfo was informed at the press office of the Ministry, the document signing event took place during the meeting of Ignatiy Arakelyan, the Armenian Minsiter of Argiculture, with FAO Deputy Representative for Europe and Central Asia countries Raymond Yelen. Mentioning the high potential of Armenian Agriculture and giving a positive estimate due to the implementation of organization's projects in Armenia. Yelen expressed a readiness to continue the cooperation. "We pay a special importance to the role of small farms and family farms in Armenia. That is why the project is aimed exactly at this group. Besides, the Agreement will help Armenia to protect its natural resources more effectively and will increase the sustainability of disasters response," Yellen mentioned.
In his turn, Ignatiy Arakelyan, the Armenian Argicultural Minister, stated: "We are standing now tin front of challenges, and to struggle against those we expect the help of international entities and partners, including FAO". According to the source, the Minister presented briefly also the priorities of the sector and prevailing problems, accentuating particularly the importance of setting the intensive gardens, fishing development without harming water resources, issues on implementation of capital irrigation, etc. During the meeting the Parties also referred the issue of enumeration of farm animals.
To note, the Program has been developed based on the results of discussions of RA Agricultural Ministry with other state entities and donation organizations, including EU, Austrian Development Agency, Swiss Agency on Cooperation and Development etc.
To remind, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) was found in 1945. FAO plays the leading role in the international cooperation on agricultural and rural development, being a platform where all the countries communicate on the basis of equity.