On 25 September, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) together with Azerbaijan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources launched a new project to strengthen Azerbaijan’s potential for reducing greenhouse gases in the agricultural sector and land use, reported azernews.

The project aims to identify institutions that will have direct access to the Green Climate Fund and to increase the capacity of relevant organizations. The project envisages a detailed analysis of the application of practical and technological solutions to simplify the implementation of National Obligations. The project costs approximately $500,000, and will last 18 months.

Rauf Hajiyev, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources noted during the presentation that Azerbaijan, like other countries, is affected by global climate change. This is manifested in the form of drought, mudflows and temperature increase in the country. He also stressed that ecology and environmental protection issues are always a priority for the Azerbaijani government, underlining that Azerbaijan joined over 20 international conventions after gaining state independence. Hajiyev also pointed out that the Azerbaijani government is aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the country by 35% in the priority sectors of waste management, energy, industry, agriculture, land use and forestry.

Melek Cakmak, head of the Partnership and Liaison Office of the FAO in Azerbaijan, named the fields of agriculture, water and forestry as the most climate change sensitive sectors in Azerbaijan. “Regarding natural characteristics and geographical location of Azerbaijan, its territory is negatively affected by climatic changes, which are already manifested in the form of floods, drought, stuffiness and a sharp increase in air temperature since the beginning of spring,” she said. She added that in this regard, the priorities of the Azerbaijani government include a comprehensive assessment of climate technology solutions in the most sensitive sectors, the development of a national adaptation strategy and action plan, and the strategy’s integration into national sectors.

Azerbaijan and FAO have a 20-year history of successful cooperation. The turning point in their relations came in 2018 when the FAO-Azerbaijan Partnership Programme was signed and an FAO Partnership and Liaison Office opened in Baku. The new partnership programme marked a move away from predominantly development-based cooperation towards a knowledge-intensive partnership. This changed was based on the country’s increased capacities and synergies with the national planning process. According to the FAO Country Programming Framework for Azerbaijan 2016-2020, the FAO has 6 priority areas in the country: 1) animal health and plant protection, including transboundary animal and plant diseases and pest control; 2) supporting investments in agriculture, food security and rural development; 3) capacity development, including agricultural education, research and extension; 4) strengthening the policy and institutional framework for agriculture and rural development; 5) improved crop-, fisheries- and livestock production; and 6) sustainable, equitable and efficient forestry, land and water resources management.

In 2015, the government of Azerbaijan with the aid of FAO adopted the National Forestry Program (NFP) 2015-2020, marking a big milestone in combating climate change. The basic aims of the NFP are to promote sustainable enhancement of the country’s forests to meet public expectations over the long term, provide the means to harmonize forest management policies with government policy instruments and rapid structural changes and to identify the challenges and means for development of institutional and legal frameworks for national forest management. The country also joined the Bonn Challenge in 2019, announcing it would restore 170,000 ha of degraded lands by 2030, and an additional 100,000 ha upon receiving funding.