The following was released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

24 March 2020 - FAO Representative in Armenia Raimund Jehle and Deputy Minister of Economy of Armenia Arman Khojoyan discussed priorities of FAO’s work in the country and shared views on how to continue the cooperation in the challenging environment caused by COVID-19. The meeting was organized through Video Conference due to the COVID-19 restrictions, globally.

Due to the current situation in the world connected to the Coronavirus disease outbreak, many things have switched the paths. The Governments of many countries, including Armenia, have temporarily shifted their priorities to combat the pandemic.

The Deputy Minister Khojoyan briefed the participants, among whom were also the Assistant FAO Representative in Armenia Gayane Nasoyan and FAO National Economist Vardan Barseghyan, about the current situation in the country, which is under lockdown because of the rapid increase of confirmed cases of the disease, as well as about resulting changes which might affect the level of cooperation between FAO and the Government of Armenia.

As the Deputy Minister stated, the Government has elaborated a COVID-19 rescue package to help the domestic economy, including the agricultural sector. According to him, the Government support programme would need to be reviewed, which would include subsidizing loans for several agricultural activities, among which leasing, establishment of greenhouses and intensive orchards, anti-hail networks, drip irrigation systems as well as livestock production.

According to him, the issues caused by COVID-19 are already felt on big producers, but not yet on smallholders. Changes in agriculture production at any level are expected. Increase in prices of input supplies, such as seeds, fertilizers should also be expected.

“At present, different scenarios are being discussed by the Government in case prices increase, or if there is a food shortage or problems related to availability of input supplies” said Khojoyan. “There may be problems related to markets’ access where there would be a need for market diversification which, in its turn, can promote export of agriculture products”.

FAO Representative in Armenia Raimund Jehle briefed the Deputy Minister on the role FAO plays in mitigating the pandemic’s impact on food and agriculture in the world, as well as on safeguarding the food security and livelihoods of the most vulnerable.

“We will focus more on smallholders,’’ said Raimund Jehle. He offered to support the Ministry in a rapid assessment of the situation to analyse the impacts and to prepare for targeted response to the sector.

The FAO Representative also mentioned, that the post disaster needs assessment software elaborated by FAO would be adjusted to be used to collect information from communities about the situation of smallholders as a prediction exercise at the moment as well as an impact-tracking mechanism (by updating the information at crucial points such as end of planting season, end of harvest season etc.) as the situation unfolds.”

Jehle also mentioned that support to further capacity development of cooperatives and policy formulation of the agriculture and rural development sector could be considered.

Both Khojoyan and Jehle confirmed to continue a close dialogue to provide adequate and timely response to the Ministry and the agriculture sector in Armenia.