In the next episode of the “Dilemma” podcast dedicated to security issues, these questions are analyzed by Diana Harutyunyan, Specialist of the UNDP climate change program, Victoria Burnazyan, Vice President of the “EcoLur” Information NGO, and Areg Kochinyan, Head of the Research Center on Security Policy.
- What is the proportion of freshwater usage in Armenia?
- Do communities face an awareness issue?
- What are the food security statistics?
- What consequences could arise from a decrease in agricultural volumes?
Diana Harutyunyan
“We utilize 86% of water resources for agriculture, of which 31% is solely for aquaculture, while the remainder is allocated to other branches of agriculture, which is already concerning. Approximately 6% is used for drinking water, and about 5% is allocated for industrial purposes. The issue of this reduction in water resources also leads to the vulnerability of agriculture and food security, which should be a concern not only in the short term but also in the long term.”
Viktoria Burnazyan
“Our studies indicate a notable increase in hydro-meteorological hazardous phenomena across all communities, including droughts, frost damage, and landslides. There is also a decline in crop yields; certain plant species are struggling to thrive, and in some areas, there has been a reduction in wheat and barley production. Additionally, beekeeping has decreased, and there have been significantly negative responses related to animal husbandry. The surveys reveal that the quantity of livestock feed is also diminishing, attributed to climatic conditions.”
Areg Kochinyan
“Our paramount and principal undertaking must be the effective management of existing resources.”
