Gagik Mkrchyan, A.T.G. Foundation director in Armenia at the Arthazar wheat seed trial plot, studying characteristics of the plant prior to submitting for final inspection and registration, Spring 2019
“Pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion. Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave and eats a bread it does not harvest.” ― Gibran Kahlil Gibran, from “The Garden of The Prophet”
On the 30th anniversary of its founding in Fresno, California, the Armenian Technology Group, Inc., through its office in Armenia, officially registered its latest high yielding, high quality wheat seed variety with Armenia’s Seed Inspection and Quality Control Service. The seed was bestowed the name Arthazar, in memory of the founding chairman of the group, Dr. Arthur O. Hazarabedian, D.V.M. (1930 – 2003).
The selection of the seed is the result of years of research, during which A.T.G.’s staff set up trial plots in numerous locations throughout Armenia. The idea was to ensure that each wheat seed variety was suitable for planting in the various growing or climate zones of Armenia and, most importantly, would secure larger quantities of harvest per acre, while generating higher incomes for the growers.
Gagik Mkrchyan, and Mekhitar Grigoryan of A.T.G. Foundation in Armenia at Arthazar wheat seed fields, Spring 2019
“This is simply our gesture to express our gratitude to Dr. Hazarabedian and his group, who, despite having their own different professions, focused their attention on the most vulnerable segment of our economy,” stated the originator of the seed-naming concept, Gagik Mkerchyan, director of the A.T.G. Foundation in Armenia, who spearheaded the project. “The notion that Dr. Hazarabedian initiated in Armenia saved thousands of lives during the early years of independence, to say the least, and which continues to re-building the country’s Seed Bank,” he added.
“We now germinate the seed in our country and supply local grain growers with the highest quality seed available for Armenia’s climate. Needless to say, over the years we experimented with some 250 seed varieties, several of which already have been registered and start with A.T.G. acronyms. These are in circulation but, certainly, we had to select the best seed for the legacy of Dr. Hazarabedian,” said Mekhitar Grigoryan, head agronomist of the group.
“This is homage to the vision that Art and his colleagues had for the people of Armenia. By sharing Arthazar wheat seed with the grain growers we are spreading Art’s spirit and hope in Armenia’s heartland. We congratulate our staff for their dedication in continuing the organization’s mission,” stated Varoujan Der Simonian, Executive Director of A.T.G.
During an annual evaluation trip, representatives of the A.T.G. Board of Directors, headed by Dr. James Reynolds, D.V.M., M.P.V.M., President, along with the Executive Director, Varoujan Der Simonian and in-country Director Director Gagik Mkrchyan and Chief Agronomist Mekhitar Grigoryan, toured several wheat seed production fields, including locations in the Shirak, Ijevan and Armavir regions
For a landlocked country like Armenia, food security is an integral part of national security. This vital issue becomes more apparent when Armenia’s geo-economic situation is taken into account. Since its inception in 1989, the founding members of the California based non-profit organization rebuilt Armenia’s agricultural infrastructure by focusing on the country’s wheat consumption needs.
While Armenia was part of the Soviet Union, some 80 percent of its grain consumption was being imported from Ukraine and Russia. Since then, Independence and the economic blockade made such transactions much more difficult and costly. Dependence on other countries for grain to feed its own people made Armenia much more vulnerable, while affecting, at the same time, its overall economic and political bargaining strength.
Reflecting on 30 years of service to the people of Armenia, Der Simonian said, “We give homage to all the A.T.G. board members and technical advisors — Dr. Arthur Hazarabedian, D.V.M., Dr. Robert Bushnell, Dr. Leon Garoyan, Dr. Jack Morse, Don Tounjes, Monte Bell, Roger Benton with an onlooker, and the local agronomist, Mekhitar Grigoryan, who planted the first wheat and alfalfa seed fields and trial plots near the epicenter of the earthquake-devastated city of Spitak.”
Varoujan Der Simonian, Executive Director of A.T.G., inspecting wheat seed production fields with Mekhitar Grigoryan and Melik Manoucharian at Varakavan (formerly Shamshadin in Ijevan)
The supports of the U.S. Government entities were substantial during the following years. Through their means, in 1995 world experts in the wheat seed production, Dr. Warren Kronstad, Curt De Louche, Ph.D. and Dr. Richard Newberg, who had significant contribution in India’s Green Revolution, drafted the strategic map for A.T.G. to follow in increasing wheat production in Armenia. One of the key components is to insure the sustainability of the program was to propagate the breeder seed in consecutive years and thereby germinating foundation, registered, certified followed by common seed prior to making the harvest available to grain growers to be sown for milling or general consumption.
Certainly, the people of Armenia appreciate the support that they receive from friendly countries during natural disasters or economic blockade. However, in order for a country to sustain economic and social stability, particularly during crisis, it must be in position of producing substantial amount of its main food supply and be capable of feeding her population.
Gagik Mkrtchyan with Mekhitar Grigoryan of A.T.G., documenting the characteristics of one of the wheat varieties in the border village of Varagavan, one of 320 villages in which A.T.G. has been active since its inception
Subsequently, establishing a Seed bank is a vitally important component of having sustainable domestic seed production that could meet local climatic requirements and planting needs. Over the past two decades, A.T.G. had built its seed inventory reserve. However, several times, due to seed shortage or drought, A.T.G. distributed its seed supplies to the growers to sow their farms Currently, A.T.G., again, is in the process of re-building Armenia’s Seed Bank with locally generated seeds.
As the project evolved with technical advisors James Bouder, Ph.D., Mark Goodson and Roger Culver joining the group, the organization embarked on applied science methodology in setting up trial plots in seven growing zones in Armenia and Artsakh. A.T.G. took it on its own in carrying out the Research & Development process to select the most suitable and high yielding seed varieties with the potential of securing highest economic return on investment. These trial plots were scattered up to 30 locations each year. Over the past 30 years some 300 selected wheat, alfalfa, corn and other seed varieties obtained from International Maze and Wheat Improvement Organization, ICARDA, and other entities, were tested and only upon selecting the most suitable ones, made these varieties available to the grain growers.
The trial plots became the foundation upon which the Seed Multiplication Program was launched. The USDA Foreign Agricultural Services was a major contributor in this endeavor. The seed producers association was formed composed of A.T.G. affiliated farmers. These association members were trained by A.T.G. technical advisors to become specialized in propagating seed. Their continuous education included participating in more the 285 training seminars and field demonstration that A.T.G. had carried over the past 30 years.
“We follow the process by extensive trial of those varieties over a two years period. We carry all the risks, and only after ensuring the best seed varieties suitable for producing results at a given region, only then we make the seeds available to seed producing association members.” states Grigoryan, who remembers fondly working with the founding members in planting the first fields.
Mekhitar Grigoryan, at one of ATG trial plots, carrying on the practice, as he learned from the founding members
The lack of appreciation for the advantage of securing Armenia with its own domestically produced high yielding seeds moved the staff of Tigran Sargsyan’s administration to import and distribut large quantities of non-tested and poor quality wheat seed varieties from abroad to Armenian grain growers, which subsequently caused a major economic loss to the farmers and the country. (Please see A.T.G.’s statement dated July 12, 2010).
Maintaining quality control and industry standard are crucial for the growth of a healthy and sustainable seed being produced in the republic. Hence, in 2002 A.T.G. initiated and funded an independent quasi-government body of Seed Inspection and Quality Control purposes. The idea was twofold, first to create a systemic structure that will oversee the seed production in the country and thereby insure that industry standards are met, where the grain growers are offered quality seeds suitable for planting in their growing zones. Second, a functional seed inspection services will enhance the country’s standing in international market, by building trust and credibility, by issuing phytosenitary certificates for domestically produced products, and thereby adhere with international regulations and standards. This will help in opening new market opportunities for Armenian products.
Hamlet Khachatryan of the Seed Inspection and Quality Control Service, inspecting the crop prior to harvest at A.T.G.’s Armavir fields. A.T.G initiated and funded the Inspection Services in 2002, to ensure that a higher standard of seed would be produced and marketed to grain growers
“With the official registration of the new Arthazar wheat seed variety, we are pleased the Seed Inspection and Quality Control is functioning. Once our office makes the new variety available to the local grain growers, we anticipate it will generate higher production yield and increased of farm family income,” noted Dr. James Reynolds, President of A.T.G.