The Armenian Technology Group, at the request of the Armenian government, is spearheading efforts to establish a Central Diagnostic Laboratory to address issues related to food safety and disease. The laboratory, which is designed to cover the entire South Caucasus region, will be the first line of defense in stopping zoogenic diseases, such as anthrax, tuberculoses, foot and mouth disease, and brucellosis, which can easily spread from animals to humans.

Although Armenia presently lacks a diagnostic laboratory, the need for such a facility has increased since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992. Recent outbreaks of SARS, monkey pox, and other exotic illnesses illustrate how rapidly new diseases can spread worldwide. Armenia's location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia makes it particularly vulnerable.

ATG, which is best known for its work with Armenia's wheat farmers, has a long history of involvement in the field of animal and public health. ATG's founder, Dr. Arthur Hazarabedian, was himself a veterinarian with decades of experience in both private practice and academia. Hazarabedian served two terms on the California Board of Examiners in Veterinary Medicine. In launching the diagnostic laboratory, ATG will partner with other U.S. scientific and research institutions, both governmental and non-governmental.

The goal of the project is to provide Armenia and its neighbors the ability to diagnose and cure diseases associated with agriculture before they reach humans. The laboratory will also enable the countries of the South Caucasus to apply international standards in certifying the safety of their agricultural products.

Armenian farmers hope that the certification process will open new markets and opportunities for their output, especially now that Armenia has joined the World Trade Organization. At the same time, consumers can look forward to high-quality meat, poultry, milk, and other foods. Finally, political observers expect that the central diagnostic laboratory will promote stronger economic and trade ties in the conflict-torn South Caucasus region.

Providing Wholesome Milk to Armenian Villages

In addition to the central laboratory, ATG plans to install four large milk-cooling containers for villages in northern Armenia. These collection tanks will each hold 800-1000 gallons, and will give over 3,000 families access to milk vital for proper nutrition. At present, these families lack access to the milk they need because they have no safe way to store it. Without proper cooling, the milk quickly spoils and cannot be kept in sufficient quantities to meed the needs of the villagers and their children. These cooling tanks will thus be crucial for their health.

The tanks will further serve as extensions of the Central Diagnostic Lab; a certified veterinarian will be placed at each location to monitor and maintain the purity of the milk. Each veterinarian will:

• Serve as a field station to detect and monitor both indigenous and foreign infectious diseases, including Anthrax, Tuberculosis, Salmonella, Mad Cow, and Brucellosis
• Provide the Central Diagnostic Lab with the data needed for the diagnosis and treatment of animals with these diseases
• Ensure the health and safety of milk-producing animals

According to the Minister of Agriculture in Armenia, Davit Lokhyan, the milk-cooling containers will serve our fellow Armenians in the following villages:

• Charinch, Aragatsotn Marz --- 620 families
• Vanakn, Lori Marz --- 700 families
• Artzvaberd, Tavoush Marz --- 780 families
• Akhourian, Shirak Marz --- 1200 families

To see a map of the locations of the milk tanks, Click here