Hambardzum Matevosyan, Minister of Environment of the RA, held a bilateral meeting in Rome with Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The parties discussed the current agenda of Armenia–FAO cooperation and opportunities to further deepen cooperation, including within the preparatory processes for COP17.
The Minister underscored that Armenia highly values FAO’s support through programmes aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and strengthening food security, as well as improving sectoral legal, policy and institutional frameworks.
The importance of the agriculture–biodiversity nexus was highlighted, and the parties noted that COP17 presents an important opportunity to jointly develop practical, results-oriented initiatives.
The Minister reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to fostering more inclusive and resilient agri-food systems, particularly by expanding opportunities for vulnerable groups. In this context, emphasis was placed on the modernization of agricultural practices and the introduction of water-efficient technologies.
He also presented several initiatives aimed at advancing sustainable and “smart” agriculture, which Armenia intends to showcase during COP17. The Minister expressed readiness to continue close cooperation with FAO to develop a joint practical agenda on agri-food systems, agroforestry and biodiversity.