Inam Karimov participated at the 13th Berlin Conference of the ministers of Agriculture

On January 22, the 13th Berlin Conference of the Ministers of Agriculture was held. This prestigious event is an important part of the Global Forum on Food and Agriculture. This year, representatives from 72 countries, including Azerbaijan participated at the conference which was considered a meeting platform of the Ministers of Agriculture.

A conference was held as Global Forum on Food and Agriculture under the slogan of "How to pay the world’s food demand in pandemic and climate change period?". Speaking at the virtual session on “Prevention of future pandemics” of the 13th Berlin Conference of Ministers of Agriculture. Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, Inam Karimov said that Azerbaijan is actively contributing to the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in close cooperation with its international partners.

Inam Karimov added that the Azerbaijan government took operative and necessary measures to minimize the impact of the pandemic on the agricultural sector and the welfare of farmers.  As a result, in 2020, 2 per cent growth recorded in agriculture.

The main topic of the conference was the fight against pandemic risks. It was noted that the combination of early detection, correct assessment and effective fighting measures in the prevention of the adverse effects of the pandemic and zoonosis diseases are important factors. It was emphasized that the production of healthy food through quality veterinary services, protection of animal health, creation of modern laboratories, compliance with the rules of biodiversity is one of the most useful measures for managing zoonosis diseases and reducing the risks of pandemic in the future.

Participants of the event noted the importance of digital media in the period of the global pandemic. It was noted that the provision of virtual services to farmers as a result of the digitization of the national agricultural system plays a special role in preventing the spread of the pandemic. Participants of the conference highly appreciated the implementation of the “One Health Initiative”, which combines measures for the health of people, animals and the environment. The speakers stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation at the regional and global level in preventing pandemics.

The calls to assist in the overall solution of three important global problems were included in the final declaration of the conference. These calls reflected the importance of joint action to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, to prevent future pandemics and to reduce the impacts of global climate change.