The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia is a republican body of executive authority which is governed by the Minister of Agriculture. The Ministry develops and implements projects relating to the spheres of agroprovision, intergovernmental cooperation in the field of agriculture, forestry, plant-growing, cattle-raising, irrigation and projects increasing the productivity of the soil usage.
The Ministry of Agriculture carries out its activities in accordance with the RA Legislation and other legal acts.
The structural subdivisions of the Ministry are “State Inspectorate of Agricultural Machinery” and “Licensing Center” Agency.
On September 5, 2002 the №1516 – N decree of the RA Government was adopted according to which the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia develops and implements the Policy of the RA Government in the sphere of agriculture and forestry.
In accordance with this decree “The Ministry of Agriculture Staff” Public Administration Institution is created with its departments, secretariat, divisions as well as structural subdivisions – agencies and inspectorates.
The Ministry publishes the magazine “Agrogitoutyoun” (since 1958) and the weekly newspaper “Agrolour” (since 1951).
The former Ministers of Agriculture are Juri Javadyan (02. 1991–12. 1991), Gagik Shahbazyan (199 –1993. 1999–2000), Ashot Voskanyan (1993–1996), Vladimir Movsisyan (1996–1999), Zaven Gevorgyan (2000–2002), Davit Zadoyan (2002–2003), Davit Loqyan (2003–2008), Aramayis Grigoryan (2008–2009), Gerasim Alaverdyan (2009–2010), Sergo Karapetyan (2010-2016) and since September 20, 2016 the Minister of Agriculture has been Ignaty Arakelyan.
In Armenia the Ministry of Agriculture began its activity on December 24, 1918. It was a General Department of Agriculture and State Property in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the First Republic of Armenia (Head of Department Stepan Kamsarakan).
According to the law “On the Application of the Laws of the Former Russian Empire” adopted by the Republic of Armenia the laws of the Russian Empire were temporarily in force in the territory of the Republic of Armenia with the changes and additions done by the Provisional Government, the Transcaucasian Commissariat and Seim and the Council of Armenia.
On January 8, 1920 the RA Parliament confirmed the law on eliminating the General Department of Agriculture and State Property and establishing the Ministry of Agriculture and State Property (Minister S. Vratsyan).
On December 22, 1920 the Democratic Commissariat of Agronomy was created in accordance with the № 7 decree of the Armenian Revolutionary Committee which was renamed the Ministry of Agriculture of the ASSR in 1947.
On March 30, 1962 the Ministry of Agriculture of the ASSR was renamed the Ministry of Food Production and Provisions according to the decree of the Council of the ASSR Ministers.
In 1965 the Ministry was again renamed the Ministry of Agriculture of the ASSR. In 1976 the Ministry of Agriculture consisted of 30 main departments and divisions (Plant-growing, Cattle-raising, Agricultural Sciences and Personnel Training, Vine-growing and Fruit-growing, Affairs of Collective Farm and Soviet Farm, Mechanization and Electrification, Veterinary Science, Poultry Farming etc.). Numerous scientific institutes, technical schools, zonal stations and laboratories were subject to the Ministry.
On December 17, 1985 the ASSR State Agroindustrial Committee was established. The Committee implemented the management of the material and technical support to the agriculture, the industry of food, meat and dairy products, the procurement of agricultural products, the initial processing of wool and other agroindustrial enterprises and organizations. The major problems were the growth of the agroindustrial complex, the intensification of agricultural and other branches of the complex, the mechanization, the investment of new technologies and the increase of the productivity. The Committee was headed by V. Movsisyan (1985-1990) and Sh. Aleqsanyan (05.1990-08.1990).
The democratic Commissars of the ASSR Agronomy were A. Erznkyan(1921-1929), M. Chalyan(05.1930-06.1930), A. Guloyan(1930-1932), G. Esayan(1932-1933), A. Ananyan(04.1933-11.1933), V. Mamikonyan(1933-1936), G. Melik-Dadayan(1936-1937), K. Grigoryan(09.1937-11.1937), Sh. Arushanyan(1937-1938), A. Sahakyan(02.1938-07.1938), H. Marjanyan(1938-1945), S. Ghazaryan(1945-1947).
The Ministers of the ASSR Agriculture were E. Ghazaryan(1947-1952 and 1961-1962), S. Chilingaryan(1952-1953), S. Ghazaryan(03.1953-12.1953), R. Abrahamyan(1954-1957), H. Hovhannisyan(1957-1958, 1965-1974), G. Stepanyan(1958-1961), G. Petrosyan(1962-1965), H. Tarjumanyan(1975-1985), V. Movsisyan(1985-1990), Sh. Aleqsanyan(05.1990-08.1990).
