On 29 October 2026, Norbert Totschnig, Federal Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management of Austria, visited the farm of Khachik Hovsepyan to learn how Austrian cattle-breeding expertise is being applied in Armenia. The Minister was accompanied by Robert Gershner, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to the Republic of Armenia, and Erwin Kuenzi, Head of the Coordination Office for Technical Cooperation in Armenia and Georgia, Austrian Development Agency (ADA).
The Minister was welcomed by Mkrtich Ayvazyan, Chairman of the Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO, and Vahe Hovhannisyan, Project Manager of Innovative Livestock Management: Animal Migration, Breeding and Markets (INLIMA) project.
During the visit, Mkrtich Ayvazyan presented the INLIMA project’s objectives, key areas of intervention and ongoing activities. He also highlighted the longstanding partnership between SDA and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), as well as their joint initiatives in the agricultural sector. The farm’s operations were presented, followed by a discussion in which the Minister raised questions about the farm’s specific characteristics and the acquisition of pedigree cattle.
The visit showcased a tangible example of Armenian–Austrian cooperation in practice. Alongside his career in information technology, Khachik Hovsepyan is developing his family’s farming business. Through a study visit to Austria organised within the framework of INLIMA, he gained first-hand exposure to Austrian cattle-breeding practices. Building on this experience, he subsequently acquired 32 of the 64 Fleckvieh cattle imported from Austria to Armenia.
The study visit to Austria also laid the groundwork for broader sectoral cooperation. As part of these efforts, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, SDA and Cattle Breeders Austria to strengthen cooperation between Armenia and Austria in the field of cattle breeding.
Khachik Hovsepyan’s farm is a practical example of how international knowledge exchange, access to high-quality breeding stock and professional partnerships can contribute to the development of pedigree cattle breeding in Armenia.
“Innovative Livestock Management: Animal Migration, Breeding & Markets” (INLIMA) project is implemented by Strategic Development Agency NGO and funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation.