Baku, Azerbaijan, June 29
By Ilkin Shafiyev – Trend:
More than $24 million will be allocated in Azerbaijan for preservation of agrobiodiversity, as envisaged in the project titled "Protection and continued use of agrobiodiversity of global significance".
The project is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, in conjunction with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The partners of the project are the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the Institute of Genetic Resources of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan.
The project is meant for 2018-2020 and consists of three components - conservation of agrobiodiversity in both natural and laboratory conditions, increasing agricultural productivity and reducing soil degradation through the use of local crops, increasing commercial sustainability in this area. It will affect vegetables, grains and fodder crops.
"National agrobiodiversity of Azerbaijan is an important genetic source not only for the country, but for the whole world." Azerbaijan is a country with a rich biodiversity and there are favorable conditions for all agricultural crops" Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Agriculture Seyfaddin Talibov said at the seminar on the presentation of the project.
In turn, Ghulam Isakzai, the UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan noted that $20 million of the total cost from the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan will be allocated, $4.1 million to the Global Environment Facility, and $200,000 from UNDP.