BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 4. The Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions, which are an integral part of Azerbaijan and play an exceptional economic role, are considered to be territories with rich natural resources as well as great potential in terms of agricultural development, Azerbaijani Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov said, Trend reports.
He spoke at a public hearing in Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis (Parliament) on "Combating the Mine Threat: The Impact of Explosives on the Ecosystem.".
"Soil-climatic conditions, favorable water supply, and the geographical location of these territories have wide opportunities for the development of agriculture," he said.
Mammadov noted that immediately after the second Karabakh war, one of the main assignments of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was to restore agricultural activities in the region.
"In order to restore and sustainably develop agricultural activity, the Ministry of Agriculture has developed schematic maps of actual planting sites and perennial orchards on the basis of satellite data through geographic information systems (GIS)," the minister said.
He noted that the first priority for the revitalization of these places was to ensure security by demining the areas.
Relevant agrarian companies that have started agricultural activities in these areas since 2020 are facing serious security challenges in cultivating the land, which mainly include:
1. Mine traps set by Armenians in the planting areas and garden plots;
2. Remnants of unexploded ordnance, which are considered a potential hazard to agricultural machinery;
3. low interest of mechanizers and laborers to work in these areas due to mine hazards;
4. Failure to maximize the potential of land resources;
5. Contamination of soil and water with chemical substances as a result of mine and ammunition explosions
"In order to reduce the mentioned difficulties and ensure safe working conditions, the Ministry of Agriculture, together with the Mine Action Agency and other concerned bodies, has established fruitful cooperation, supporting the organization of the work of agricultural companies operating in the mentioned territories," he stressed.
The Minister also stated that agricultural land plots totaling 44,731 hectares have been cleared of mines and explosive ordnance, with clearance certificates and schematic maps submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture for 27,783 hectares of them.
"The process continues intensively in this direction," the minister continued.
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