IAALD NEWS 
 Central and Eastern Europe
Agribusiness in the Republic of Armenia
Navasardian, Hamlet G. Chief of Department, Research Institute for Scientific and Technical Information of Armenia (ArmNIINTI), Yerevan, ARMENIA

Republic of Armenia has limited land resources. The average height above sea level is at 1800 m. The Republic has 9 climatic zones, ranging from subtropics to sub-alpine. Population density in the regions favorable for farming is very high. Under such conditions the problems of food provisions are very acute. The only way to solve the problem is intensification of production. Transition to market economy, followed by breaking up of kolkhozes and sovkhozes, led to the formation of many small agricultural farms with small plots. This resulted in considerable deterioration in the use of land such as neglecting of crop rotations. Use of fertilizers and pest or diseases control agents dropped significantly. Absence of machinery resulted in overall decrease of agricultural productivity.

Animal production as well as that of several important crops decreased in the period of the last eight years. The system of scientific research and practical distribution of research disintegrated. Changes in financing disrupted activities of research institutes and experimental departments. The disparity between agricultural production and equipment and machinery costs is one of the reasons for the difficult situation in agriculture.

The problems of granting credits to farmers have not been solved, and as a result many farms, instead of increasing their production, have become a mere self-sustaining units what is conducive to cutting of links between agricultural production and food-processing industry.

Formerly Armenia exported to other regions of the Soviet Union dozens of thousands of tons of fresh apricots, peaches, grapes, vegetables and early potatoes, as well as processed products, such as canned food, juices, wine and brandy. Currently Armenia exports only a small quantity of brandy. The new economic situation has resulted not only in the loss of foreign markets but also in disruption of international cooperation. Agricultural structure has changed as well.

Despite these extremely negative effects in economy and production, the potential capacities in agriculture in Armenia have been preserved. Today it is necessary to provide farms, food processing enterprises, and agricultural research institutions with quality information on prices and demand in domestic and foreign markets, and also to give some directions as to the possible state of such demand a few years ahead. This may significantly stimulate agricultural production.

Climatic conditions in the subtropical belt in Armenia facilitate production of valuable cultures such as apricots, peaches, geranium, and vegetables. These may be exported to foreign markets. Production and export of best vegetable seeds is of great interest. Production of vine seedlings of brandy and sweet wine varieties, which have been produced in Armenia for many centuries, is also of high significance.

To realize the above Armenia needs to organize an information system in assistance to producers and government bodies. Better data managing may improve production structure in agriculture, and facilitate meeting of market requirements. ArmNIINTI (stands for Russian transliterated acronym for Research Institute for Scientific and Technical Information of Armenia), and RSTL (Republican Scientific and Technical Library) organize many activities in this area. Library funds number 22 million units (including patents and standards).

ArmNIINTI activities ·

  • information support to scientific, technological and other government programs
  • analysis and distribution of positive experiences gathered by specialists on their official trips abroad ·
  • creation and updating of databases in the field of agriculture and other branches of economy ·
  • up-to-date information supply to the president, prime minister, National Assembly, and ministries of the Republic of Armenia
  • creation, development and registration of electronic databases on scientific topics, gathered with the help of state grants
  • scientific projects as to the innovation policy in science and technology; state projects of infrastructure improvement
  • publication of the popular scientific magazine "Gitutsyn ev Technika" (Science and Engineering), presenting advancement in all branches of national economy
  • creation of database on scientific potential
  • placing of information resources of ArmNIINTI ( in English and Russian) on the Internet

ArmNIINTI has four branches in four districts of Armenia what facilitates contacts with farms and enterprises. These branch departments are equipped with information tools and cooperate closely with the central ArmNIINTI. Besides the RSTL, there is also a large library at the Agricultural Academy. Sections of agricultural literature are kept also at the National Library and at the Library of National Academy. After the 6th Roundtable, new bibliographical databases have been created including databases on labor resources, and production capacity of industrial and food processing enterprises.