Armenia’s first pesticide quality control laboratory equipped to carry out quality control according to international standards opened here today. Built as part of an FAO project in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the laboratory was made possible thanks to financing from the Government of Greece.

“We look forward to the positive impact this laboratory will have on the development of Armenia’s economy, said Gayane Nasoyan, FAO assistant representative in Armenia. “With the volume and variety of pesticides imported into Armenia increasing every year, it is important that we continue to make improvements to this sector.”

Operation of the new laboratory is expected to enable Armenia to improve the quality of its agricultural products and reduce the negative effect of pesticides on humans, animals, and the environment.

An inaugural ceremony took place on the new laboratory premises, with Armenian Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan and Greece’s Ambassador to Armenia Loannis Taghis officiating. Also attending were staff of Armenian government departments concerned with agriculture and food safety, and representatives of nongovernmental organizations active in the country.

The laboratory was built, furnished and equipped in the framework of the FAO project entitled “Support for pesticide quality control and residue monitoring in Armenia.” The recently concluded project – with a budget of US$ 2 million contributed by the Government of Greece – was aimed at aligning Armenia’s pesticide quality control with international norms and standards.