Minister of Agriculture Inam Karimov made a speech in the 42nd session of the FAO

The 42^nd session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (​FAO) is being gone on. The international event held once in two years acted via an online format for the first time this year. The opening ceremony of the 42^nd session of the FAO was attended by a record number of 119 ministers and deputy ministers from around the world - more than 1,300 participants.

The meeting entitled “The current state of food and agriculture: the transformation of the agricultural system into a food system: from strategy to action” began with an address by the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella and Pope Francis. The appeals touched upon the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural production systems, and stressed the importance of ensuring food security and sustainable development in line with new challenges.

In his opening remarks, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu stressed the need for comprehensive action to reduce the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security and nutrition around the world and to achieve future goals.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Agriculture Inam Karimov said that Azerbaijan actively contributes to the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in close cooperation with its international partners. The Government of Azerbaijan has taken prompt and necessary measures to minimize the impact of the pandemic on the agricultural sector and the welfare of farmers. In 2020, Azerbaijan’s agricultural sector increased by 2 percent.

It was noted that after the liberation of our lands from occupation, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev declared the Karabakh region a green energy zone. The agriculture in these areas will be developed based on the concept of smart agriculture, which includes the best technologies and practices. Azerbaijan is ready to cooperate closely in this direction, as this goal is in line with the FAO’s plan to transform villages in different countries into "smart villages" in the future through digitalization. At the same time, Azerbaijan, which joined other strategic initiatives, supports effective cooperation on international platforms.

Climate change, increasing productivity through environmental protection, production of quality food, building a sustainable agricultural system through fundamental transformation within the framework of global cooperation were the main topics of discussion at the conference. The participants stressed the importance of expanding the use of scientific novelty, innovation and digital solutions in agriculture.