(MENAFN- AzerNews) By
The new phase of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
partnership program in Azerbaijan will be adopted soon, Viorel
Gutu, Sub-Regional Coordinator for Central Asia at FAO, told
in an exclusive interview.
'We very much hope that the second stage of the FAO-Azerbaijan
partnership program will be accepted by the Government soon, and
our cooperation will reach a completely different level,' he
said.
According to the coordinator, technical problems that FAO can
solve in the field of rural development can lead to practical
results on the ground and significantly improve the lives of
residents, especially in the rural areas of Azerbaijan, as well as
impact various environmental issues.
Gutu pointed out that FAO is focused on protection of natural
resources, i.e. soil, water, biodiversity, which are key to
efficient agricultural production
'One of the projects that we discussed most intensively with the
Government of Azerbaijan is connected with the food waste
management. We are implementing this project at the regional level,
we have given it the highest priority in Turkiye, and now we have
achieved very significant results. We want to apply the experience
gained in Turkiye in Azerbaijan, taking into account the interest
in this project in the country,' he said.
As the coordinator explained, the project is more focused on
changing people's mentality. FAO is trying to draw people's
attention to how much food is thrown away.
'Globally, more than a third of food products are loss and
waste. This is a dramatic figure. This is a big problem that, if
tackled, can solve many issues related not only to basic nutrition,
but also to healthy food provision. The Government of Azerbaijan
and FAO are very interested in this joint cooperation,' he
said.
Also, as the coordinator mentioned, a small team working on the
regional forestry project, which is implemented within the
framework of the FAO-Turkiye partnership program, is now in
Baku.
'The project is aimed at restoring forests, increase forest
plantations and improve soil condition through various
technologies, growing both forest and agricultural crops. We pay
great attention to our cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of
climate change and soil and water conservation,' he added.
According to him, water management issues will be raised within
the framework of various projects in Azerbaijan.
'As a technical organization, we look at the problems of water
in terms of its efficient and effective use, the implementation of
various irrigation technologies. It is in terms of conserving
resources and conserving those resources for our future generations
that different methods of using water are used. This activity is
more focused on farms,' Gutu explained.
Water management is also considered from a fisheries
perspective. There is a high potential for the development of the
fisheries sector in Azerbaijan, he stressed.
'Azerbaijan is a very active participant in our Regional
Fisheries and Aquaculture Commission (CACFISH). It is a platform
based on FAO, where the countries of Central Asia, the Caucasus and
Turkey exchange experiences, technologies and innovations in
fisheries and aquaculture. The potential in this field in
Azerbaijan is very high,' he said.
As FAO representative pointed out, the number of people in the
world suffering from hunger and malnutrition has increased over the
past few years, reaching 828 million. At the same time, more than 3
billion people lack adequate healthy nutrition. These challenges
are due to the coronavirus pandemic, various global conflicts,
climate change, and other aspects.
'Unfortunately, what needs attention is that over the past three
years this trend has been increasing, while we have set the goal to
end hunger by 2030. We have very little time left,' he said.
He said that FAO continued to raise with world governments the
issue of access to healthy food for vulnerable populations.
Gutu noted that FAO has a very wide range of cooperation with
Azerbaijan, and there are definitely prospects for further
deepening of this partnership.
'We proceed with intensive dialogue with the Government of
Azerbaijan in various fields. I have already met with the minister
of agriculture, the minister of ecology and natural resources. We
have several initiatives at the regional level that we would like
to promote more extensively in Azerbaijan. We have a very close and
active cooperation, and we will work together to further expand
it,' he added.
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