Establishment of a Certified Agricultural Advisory Service
For the implementation of this three years project, it is planned to select one enlarged community and implement a pilot project serving 10-15 rural settlements. The Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia has given its consent to "Shen" NGO to evaluate the results of the pilot project. In case of stable positive results, the Ministry will apply to the government to introduce the model in all regions of the Republic of Armenia.
By decision No. 243-A of March 9, 2018, of the Government of the Republic of Armenia the activities of the Regional Centers of Rural Support (RCRS), which were supposed to provide the agricultural advisory services in the Republic of Armenia, were terminated.
Today, the lack of agricultural advisory services is a huge problem in small and medium scale farms, in closed soil and in the livestock and animal husbandry sectors. The demand for quality advice is great from primary production to post-harvest conservation and processing.
In the absence of specialized advice, farmers use their land resources for non-targeted purposes, or do not use them at all. To contribute to the formation of a new model of advisory services, which will provide farmers with advanced knowledge and experience is a utmost priority. The goal of the project is to establish a pilot model of an accredited private advisory service in the agricultural sector.
Over time, the active participation of private advisors will create a competitive field in the market, which will lead to an increase in the quality of the advice provided. Licensed private consultants themselves will strive to provide advice on advanced technologies, which will contribute to the modernization of the sector.
