Pashinyan proposed abandoning water releases from Lake Sevan and called Armenia's water resource management ineffective
23.02.2026,
17:24
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has spoken of the ineffective management of water resources in the country and called for a review of their use, including abandoning the release of water from Lake Sevan for irrigation.
YEREVAN, February 23. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has spoken of the ineffective management of water resources in the country and called for a review of their use, including abandoning the release of water from Lake Sevan for irrigation.
Speaking on Monday at an event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Water Committee, the head of government found it strange that only a small portion of agricultural land in Armenia is irrigated, despite the presence of significant water resources.
"The problem is not the availability of resources, but our ability to manage them effectively," Pashinyan said. He added that approaches in the water sector have remained virtually unchanged for a long time, preventing progress.
The prime minister emphasized that solving systemic problems, including in water management, requires improving education. "The government solves every problem in three ways: education, education, and more education. This concerns us all. Our attitude toward water must change significantly," he noted.
He proposed setting the goal so that Armenia would have no unirrigated agricultural land left, and that land otherwise used for gardens would be used. He stated that the country has the necessary water resources: according to expert estimates, 5-7 billion cubic meters of water are generated annually.
Speaking about water use, Pashinyan called the decisions to release water from Lake Sevan for irrigation questionable, emphasizing that this is the country's strategic reserve. As an alternative, he pointed to the need to introduce drip irrigation and transition to intensive agriculture.
"Agriculture today, with the exception of intensive agriculture, is effectively unprofitable, since its real cost is not taken into account, and the price of water is undervalued," the prime minister stated.
Pashinyan also emphasized the need for an open discussion of existing problems in the water sector, noting that without recognizing them and revising approaches, it is impossible to achieve change.
About Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan is the main source of drinking water in the region and one of the largest high-altitude lakes in Europe and Asia. It is located in the heart of the Armenian Highland, at an altitude of 1,914 meters. The lake stretches over 70 kilometers from northwest to southeast, and its water surface area reaches almost 1,500 square kilometers.
The lake has only one source – the Hrazdan River (a tributary of the Araks River). It is fed by 28 rivers, with a combined basin area of 2,776 square kilometers.
In addition, Lake Sevan's waters are used for agricultural irrigation. According to Armenian law, the basic limit for annual water releases from Sevan for irrigation purposes is set at 170 million cubic meters. In dry years, the volume can be increased to 200-220 cubic meters.
Speaking on Monday at an event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Water Committee, the head of government found it strange that only a small portion of agricultural land in Armenia is irrigated, despite the presence of significant water resources.
"The problem is not the availability of resources, but our ability to manage them effectively," Pashinyan said. He added that approaches in the water sector have remained virtually unchanged for a long time, preventing progress.
The prime minister emphasized that solving systemic problems, including in water management, requires improving education. "The government solves every problem in three ways: education, education, and more education. This concerns us all. Our attitude toward water must change significantly," he noted.
He proposed setting the goal so that Armenia would have no unirrigated agricultural land left, and that land otherwise used for gardens would be used. He stated that the country has the necessary water resources: according to expert estimates, 5-7 billion cubic meters of water are generated annually.
Speaking about water use, Pashinyan called the decisions to release water from Lake Sevan for irrigation questionable, emphasizing that this is the country's strategic reserve. As an alternative, he pointed to the need to introduce drip irrigation and transition to intensive agriculture.
"Agriculture today, with the exception of intensive agriculture, is effectively unprofitable, since its real cost is not taken into account, and the price of water is undervalued," the prime minister stated.
Pashinyan also emphasized the need for an open discussion of existing problems in the water sector, noting that without recognizing them and revising approaches, it is impossible to achieve change.
About Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan is the main source of drinking water in the region and one of the largest high-altitude lakes in Europe and Asia. It is located in the heart of the Armenian Highland, at an altitude of 1,914 meters. The lake stretches over 70 kilometers from northwest to southeast, and its water surface area reaches almost 1,500 square kilometers.
The lake has only one source – the Hrazdan River (a tributary of the Araks River). It is fed by 28 rivers, with a combined basin area of 2,776 square kilometers.
In addition, Lake Sevan's waters are used for agricultural irrigation. According to Armenian law, the basic limit for annual water releases from Sevan for irrigation purposes is set at 170 million cubic meters. In dry years, the volume can be increased to 200-220 cubic meters.
