A meeting was held between Radha Mohan Singh, Union agriculture minister, and Sergo Karapetyan, Armenian agriculture minister, here recently. The two ministers recalled the partnership, the two countries have shared, and discussed several areas of interest for cooperation, and emphasised on furthering relationships not only for catalysing trade and investment prospects but also sharing the knowledge that the two countries have accumulated over the years.
The two ministers signed an agreement for cooperation in the field of agriculture sectors. The MoU envisaged various priority sectors such as plant-breeding, including agricultural crop seed-breeding and plant protection; buffalo-breeding and poultry, including pedigree; exchange of experience on agricultural organisation in dry lands; milk production and processing; development of new forms of farming in agrifood complex; agrarian education, training for agricultural specialists; exchange of experience in irrigation and water management (rain water) progressive technology systems exchange of fruit-trees, germplasm (apricot, grapes, apples, pears etc.); exchange of technical expertise and research in fruit-tree disease management; exchange of information on technologies in mechanisation of agricultural farming (including research, design, production, installation of agricultural machinery/equipments); hitech horticulture including irrigation and water management technology; exchange of information on technologies in processing sector; phytosanitary measures during export and import of plant and plant materials; animal husbandry including cattle identification; cooperation in the field of agricultural census.
The MoU provides for establishment of Joint Working Group and preparation of Work Plans, and will be valid, initially for a period of five years, and would be extendable beyond five. The two ministers further identified sectors such as cattle identification, cooperatives, agriculture machinery, plant breeding and exchange of agri scientist and students, as the priority areas and resolved to constitute the JWG at the earliest to move the agreement.
