BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 2. The 4th Agribusiness Development Forum has kicked off in Baku, Trend reports.
The Forum is another practical example of cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan and FAO to promote climate-resilient agriculture following the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) held in Baku last November. Within the framework of this cooperation, the main objective of the forum is to introduce innovative financing mechanisms for sustainable agribusiness development, promote green subsidies, and strengthen public-private dialogue. Heads of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economy, the Central Bank, the Food Security Agency of Azerbaijan, the Small and Medium Business Development Agency, the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs' Organizations of Azerbaijan, subordinate structures of the ministries, the Association of Banks of Azerbaijan, and banks operating in the country took part in the event dedicated to the theme “Agribusiness Development Forum: the path to harmony”.Representatives of local and international organizations were also present.
The National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was sounded before the event, a minute of silence honored the memory of our heroic martyrs who gave their lives for the Motherland.
Opening the event with an introductory speech, Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov noted that under the leadership of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has been implementing a consistent and purposeful policy towards diversification of the economy, development of regions, and agriculture. As a result of this policy, the sustainable development of the country is ensured. Support of all subjects, from small family farms to large agro-parks working in the field of agriculture, is one of the main priorities. Subsidies, concessional financing, technical support, and institutional incentives are important components of this support: "The 4th Agribusiness Development Forum is being held this year under the theme ‘the road to harmony’. This is not just a motto, it means striking a balance between economic development and environmental protection, establishing a strong dialogue between the public and private sectors, hearing farmers' voices, and participatory decision-making. The topics that will be presented in the forum program, green finance, agrifinance solutions, digitalization, and sustainability mechanisms will shape the future directions of our country's agricultural policy".
In turn, the representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on climate issues Mukhtar Babayev noted that Azerbaijan's designation as the venue of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - the highest platform for global climate discussions - is a vivid example of high level of trust and successful cooperation with international organizations. By holding COP29, our country launched global initiatives covering energy, urban planning, finance, agriculture, human capital development, and other spheres. These initiatives include inclusive approaches to climate change.
“The Baku Climate Initiative of Harmony for Farmers”, presented under the chairmanship of COP29, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO, was created to empower women farmers and young farmers, build climate-resilient rural communities and strengthen knowledge sharing. The initiative brings together more than 90 global and regional programs to support sustainable development in rural areas and helps guide investments in this area.
Addressing the event, FAO Deputy Regional Chief for Europe and Central Asia Nabil Gangi spoke about global factors affecting the security of agriculture, water, and food, as well as ways to ensure sustainable agricultural development. He stressed that Azerbaijan, which organized at a high level the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) held last November in Baku, played a leading role in shaping the global climate agenda, it is important to fulfill the commitments related to climate change. Nabil Gangi noted that in the current era of climate change, land degradation, changing demand for food, and rural migration, the use of new technologies and innovations is a bridge to sustainable development. Azerbaijan pays great attention to innovation, application of modern technologies to increase productivity and efficiency, and widely uses advanced methods to ensure safe, sustainable, and environmentally friendly food production.
The event featured a prepared video clip dedicated to the 80th anniversary of FAO and achievements made within the framework of cooperation with Azerbaijan.
Then, a panel session was organized on “Review of agribusiness development in Azerbaijan,” moderated by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ilhama Gadimova. Tahir Rzayev, Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament Committee on Agrarian Policy, Samad Bashirli, Deputy Minister of Economy, Balaragim Guliyev, Deputy Chairman of the Food Safety Agency, Mammad Musayev, President of the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs' (Employers') Organizations, Toghrul Aliyev, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank, and Yunus Abdulov, Executive Director of the Association of Banks, spoke at the panel discussion and shared their views on the formation and implementation of strategic mechanisms to support agribusiness in Azerbaijan.
The forum included a ceremony of awarding 3 farmers and 2 heads of model farms, who won the nomination “Farmer of the Year” in the agricultural sector. The farmers were awarded Certificates of Honor and valuable gifts for their achievements in the agricultural sector.
Director of the Agrarian Research Center under the Ministry of Agriculture, Rashad Huseynov, made a presentation on “Main trends, challenges and opportunities in the agribusiness sector of Azerbaijan” at the IV Forum on Agribusiness Development.
The Forum continued with panel sessions.