THREE-YEAR PROJECT ON IMPROVEMENT OF PESTICIDE QUALITY CONTROL BEING IMPLEMENTED IN ARMENIA
NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 17, 2009
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The Food and Agricultural
Organization (FAO) of the United Nations jointly with the RA Ministry
of Agriculture organized on November 17 a one-day conference for
representatives of society, the state and private sectors to discuss
the current state and the prospects of pesticide quality control and
pesticide residue monitoring, also the steps to solve the current
problems in the sector and FAO’s assistance in this respect.
According to the press service of the RA Ministry of Agriculture, the
conference was held within the framework of the project on pesticide
quality control and pesticide residue monitoring in Armenia. The
project was launched this year.
Its purpose is to help Armenia improve pesticide quality control
in line with international standards and implement programs on
monitoring of pesticide residue in order to increase food supply,
raise the quality of agricultural products and make use of the new
opportunities in food trade.
The cost of this three-year project is two million dollars. It is
being financed by the Greek government and implemented by FAO and
the RA Ministry of Agriculture. Greece is currently financing through
FAO two projects with the total budget of 3.6 million USD and another
three with the total budget of 1.4 million USD.
"The creation of laboratories equipped with modern equipment is quite
difficult in the local conditions and requires not only a sufficient
area and expensive equipment, but also a highly qualified staff and
the proper budget to ensure stability," FAO technical advisor Klaus
Ziller said.