President says water is national value

PanARMENIAN.Net - Water should be regarded not as an inexhaustible resource but as a national value that must be preserved, President Vahagn Khachaturyan said at an event marking the 25th anniversary of the Water Committee under the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.

“The establishment of the Water Committee was driven by the need to organize, in a systematic and state-responsible manner, the management of water resources — a sector of strategic importance for our country. Over the years, governance mechanisms have been formed, infrastructure projects implemented, and irrigation and reservoir systems maintained and operated. However, we must also acknowledge that high water loss rates, system deterioration and efficiency-related issues remain serious challenges.

Armenia is relatively well supplied with water resources, but this alone is not sufficient. Water is a national wealth, and its preservation and rational use require more consistent policies, technological modernization and greater managerial responsibility.

In the context of climate change, shifting precipitation patterns and rising water demand, every loss and every inefficient use becomes not only an economic but also a strategic issue,” he said.

The president added that more effective solutions must be adopted, emphasizing that water management is not limited to the authority of a single institution.

“I am confident that through joint and consistent efforts, it is possible to reduce losses, improve system efficiency and develop a water management model aligned with Armenia’s long-term development goals,” Khachaturyan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also addressed challenges in the water sector. He described it as paradoxical that only a small portion of agricultural land is irrigated, despite Armenia being considered water-rich.

“The issue here is not the resource itself, but our ability to manage it. Perhaps I should stress that this is another case where we say the government has three solutions to any problem: education, education and education. And this applies to all of us. When I make such a statement, I first make it about myself, because our attitude toward water must undergo significant change,” the prime minister said.

Reflecting on changes in his own views, Pashinyan noted that change is a natural process, while failure to change can lead to disaster.

He also underlined the need to rethink approaches to agriculture, stating that no agricultural land in Armenia should remain non-irrigated, and that land designated for other purposes could be converted into orchards. According to expert assessments, 5–7 billion cubic meters of water resources are formed annually in the country.

Pashinyan described water releases from Lake Sevan for irrigation as problematic, stressing that the lake is a strategic reserve.

“We must understand that drip irrigation and intensive agriculture are the solution. Apart from intensive agriculture, our current agricultural model is entirely harmful, because we do not calculate its real cost — specifically, the price of water is underestimated, and agriculture operates at a loss,” he said.

Summing up, Pashinyan stated that progress in the water sector requires a deep understanding of the problems, filling knowledge gaps and developing the skills to apply that knowledge.

At the end of the event, the prime minister awarded several specialists for their contribution to the water sector.