Azerbaijani farmers to be encouraged within state support - Minister of Agriculture

By Azernews

Qabil Ashirov

Azerbaijan tries to diversify its economy with the natural resources that it owns and in this regard, the development of agriculture is a priority, Azernews reports, citing Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov telling at an event organized by the Food Safety Agency (FSA), the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Baku.

The minister noted that Azerbaijan is a leading country in the region due to its rapid economic development and primarily focuses on the development of agriculture. He stressed that Azerbaijan is making significant efforts to achieve a sustainable transformation of its agro-food systems. Green recovery, digitization, and innovative solutions are the main principles on the country’s agenda to build a sustainable national agri-food system.

"Animal breeding, including health protection, remains a priority on our agenda. The state subsidizes 60% of the total cost of animals imported for breeding. Also, the recently launched embryo transfer project at our Artificial Insemination Center is aimed at developing animal husbandry," the minister added.

Speaking about the vaccination of animals, M. Mammadov noted that animals are vaccinated in order to prevent zoonotic diseases and protect health in the country in accordance with the annual action plan.

“Of course, welfare cannot be achieved without well-established veterinary services. In this regard, according to the recent government reform, veterinary services in Azerbaijan were privatized and this process was organized on the basis of private contracts. In addition, the main part of our investments within the framework of state support is aimed at encouraging farmers to use modern and innovative farming technologies," the minister added.