BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 19. The Baku Harmoniya initiative addresses three critical gaps in the fight against climate change, said Ilhama Gadimova, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, at the "Launch of Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers: Empowering Farmers for Climate Resilience" event at COP29, Trend reports.
"In Azerbaijan, we are already implementing the principles of harmony. Digital platforms and ongoing digitization are revolutionizing farmers' access to real-time data and resources. With continued modernization efforts, we are optimizing water use to ensure the resilience of our regions. We are investing in farmers as problem solvers by providing training, tools, and financial incentives for implementing climate-resilient practices. But most importantly, we are committed to inclusive growth. From empowering women and youth in agriculture to supporting rural communities, we understand that true progress leaves no one behind," she said.
The deputy minister further explained that the Baku Harmoniya initiative aims to eliminate three key gaps:
"Knowledge Sharing: Farmers often struggle to access best practices and innovations. The Baku Harmoniya platform will serve as a knowledge-sharing hub, making global lessons applicable at the local level.
Coordination of Financing: Despite the availability of funding, it is often fragmented. The COP29 presidency is also working with the FAST initiative to identify additional resources and climate funds that will enable farmers and rural communities to develop skills and accelerate access to new digital technologies. Baku Harmoniya will serve as a platform for regular exchange of experiences and building trust, directly contributing to the FAST partnership's action plan.
Unified Action: Instead of fragmented efforts, Baku Harmoniya promotes collaboration across sectors and borders, accelerating progress in food security, water conservation, and climate action," Gadimova added.
To note, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which will run until November 22, opened at the Baku Olympic Stadium on November 11. It is the largest event organized by Azerbaijan to date, and the first time in the region that it is being held in Azerbaijan.
Within COP29, the highest level event - the summit of world leaders on climate action – was held on November 12–13.
The main expectation from COP29 is to agree on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) on climate finance. The COP29 Presidency has launched 14 initiatives that include linkages between climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals, including green energy corridors, green energy storage, harmony for climate resilience, clean hydrogen, methane reduction in organic waste, action on green digital technologies, and other topics.
In addition to being a top priority that creates the conditions for action, creating climate finance will also help fulfill the 1.5°C pledge by bringing everyone together.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for “Conference of Parties” and is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
A total of 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless otherwise decided by the parties, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel