Returned from Artsakh with Great Enthusiasm: ‘To Put It Mildly, My Breath Was Taken Away’ Says MP

MP Sofia Hovsepyan from the ‘My Step’ faction of the National Assembly wrote on her Facebook page: “I returned from Artsakh with great enthusiasm! To put it mildly, ‘my breath was taken away.’ I met with the Minister of Agriculture, Ashot Bakhshyan, because I had heard about the radical and important work being done in the agricultural sector. I had known Mr. Bakhshyan for a long time (since the hot days of April 2016) and met to congratulate him and understand what steps are being taken.

The logic of our discussion was this: “If you want to create an independent and strong state, then develop agriculture.” Yes, people are specifically going down the path of ensuring food security. I am confident that as a result of their activities, our food security issue will also be resolved, but my dream is that one day all our regions will ensure the food security of the country, and this will not be exclusively the responsibility of Artsakh.

Several steps are being taken to motivate farmers to engage in large-scale agriculture, and the greatest support in this regard, as an alternative to the banking system, will also be the state-operated fund. This year we were convinced that a very small percentage of 0% agricultural loans actually reached the farmers and the real beneficiaries, as banks consider it risky to invest in agriculture. However, the state fund can support farmers with various tools that are being intensively developed and rapidly implemented.

A clear value has been established for the grain cultivation, and initially, the farmer knows that the grain harvest should be sold at a specific price if they have a cultivation issue. However, they can also sell independently if they can secure a market. This may not be appreciated correctly by many, but it is a guarantee for the farmer – a state guarantee. The monopoly has been eliminated, and farmers can buy seeds and any agricultural products from whomever they wish, and the state will assist them in ensuring safe delivery.

In short, they have definitely stood by the farmers and are developing agriculture. If I had stayed a few more days, I might have left everything and engaged in agriculture, but since I can do that in the future as well, I decided to return and understand why the implementation of this model is being delayed, as I know the ministry has been discussing this issue and the light was quite clear.

I hope it won't take too long for us ))). Ensuring food security is the victory of any state. This is my opinion; I might be wrong, but my grandfather used to say, ‘That family will thrive where they can harvest bread from the blessed soil.’ Our nation needs agricultural guarantees to harvest bread from the earth.