VIDEO: It's the Same as Trying to Create a Dinosaur Farm, Says Pashinyan, Drawing Laughter from Attendees

Today in Armenia, there are agricultural businesses hiring specialists from Europe for €700 an hour to advise them on how to grow blackberries, strawberries, pears, or apricots. This was stated by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a Q&A session with the government at the National Assembly on December 7, addressing concerns that rural communities lack veterinarians and other specialists.

“Why don’t specialists go to those places where they are needed at €700 an hour? In our deep conviction, these dilemmas can only be resolved through comprehensive reforms in the higher education system. Having an Agricultural University at the 'head of the plan' in the 21st century is nonsensical because all modern agricultural universities are surrounded not by other buildings, hotels, or cafes, but by hundreds of hectares of land with farms, orchards, and experimental areas,” he noted.

Pashinyan also mentioned that this is why they are developing the idea of an academic city, where it will be ensured that appropriate specialists are being prepared, and that the state is promoting their services to be more accessible.

The Prime Minister declared that the agriculture we have lacks prospects. “Even if we bring five veterinarians and six animal doctors everywhere, that agriculture has no future with that methodology. It’s roughly the same as if we tried, excuse me, I sometimes say sharp things, and then storms are created, to create a dinosaur farm. Especially since we have already had such unsuccessful attempts,” he said, prompting laughter from those in attendance.

Pashinyan continued, stating that the sector needs substantial changes. According to him, if Armenia's livestock milk yield is only 20 percent of the world average, that already indicates that this activity is unprofitable, and no veterinarian will be willing to work in such conditions. “Well, let’s take them there, let them work, help, and if the milk yield increases by another 10 percent, it will not change the overall picture. We say we support intensive agriculture, smart livestock barns, and drip irrigation. If we help farmers work with this content, I assure you that veterinarians will line up. Where there is profit, specialists will appear and come from Europe,” Pashinyan highlighted.