BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. We are in the process of finalizing the new phase of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) partnership program in Azerbaijan, Muhammad Nasar Hayat, FAO representative in Azerbaijan, told Trend in an exclusive interview.

“FAO and Azerbaijan have established a relationship that goes back in the early 90s, and, since 2015, we have an office in Azerbaijan. The cooperation between us has been going on very well since the establishment and signing of a partnership strategy. We work very closely with the ministry of agriculture, ecology and environment, and other stake holders in Azerbaijan. The first phase of agreement is now over. We are in the process of finalizing the next phase and the prospects for agriculture sector in this country are really bright,” he said.

According to Muhammad Nasar Hayat, there is a lot that needs to be done, and with some improvements, technology, practices in agriculture, a lot can be improved, not only for people in the rural areas, but for the country as a hole.

FAO is also ready to support agriculture development in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh, the country representative said.

“We have a lot of experience from other countries in the world of doing agriculture developments and livelihood restorations in the post conflict zones. These areas have been going through very difficult times, and the restoration of agriculture in these areas is very important. In that context, we are already supporting the initiative of the Government of Azerbaijan on land reforms, land allocation, land use planning. Beyond that, we can support the farmers themselves in restoring agricultural production,” he noted.

As FAO representative pointed out, some of these areas have not been cleared of land mines and explosive, so this is another issue that needs to be resolves.

“And then, we need to figure out what is the best agricultural model for these areas. There is climate, water availability - multiple variables are to be looked at, before we decide which way is the best. We can provide technical expertise, experience in capacity building, any assistance needed to support the government in its envisioned strategy,” he explained.

Further speaking, Muhammad Nasar Hayat noted that food security and environmental protection are some of the key areas of FAO’s work in Azerbaijan, and not only here, but worldwide.

“Globally, we see that there are more people than 800 million people that experience food insecurity. The level of food pricing is increasing. In this context, Azerbaijan has to be very careful and watchful of the situation. Azerbaijan is importing a lot of food, especially wheat, meat. If the prices are increasing, then the availability and consumption of these items may be affected. Azerbaijan is a resource rich country, it has enough to feed its population. But, still, the food balance, what we produce and what we consume, still needs improvement. We need to rely less on imports,” he said.