By Faridat Salifu
Azerbaijan faces increasing agricultural challenges due to worsening climate shocks, despite efforts to strengthen food security through modern irrigation and technological upgrades, officials said at the recent 4th Agribusiness Development Forum.
Developing countries like Azerbaijan bear a disproportionate share of the impacts from climate change due to limited adaptive capacity and heavy reliance on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has identified a host of climate-driven issues in developing countries, including soil erosion, desertification, salinization, and reductions in irrigation water availability.
Compounding these threats in Azerbaijan are shrinking arable land, rising operational costs, and regional geopolitical tensions.
The government has introduced efficient irrigation systems and other technology solutions but acknowledges that more decisive action is needed to safeguard national food supplies.
“By 2030, water demand driven by rising temperatures could increase by 16 percent,” Deputy Minister of Economy Samad Bashirli told attendees, according to Caliber news.
“Agricultural policy must focus on water-saving solutions and the cultivation of drought-resistant crops. The priority should be to boost yields on existing farmland, rather than expanding into new areas.”
Extreme weather events have already caused significant disruptions. Mukhtar Babayev, the President’s special representative on climate issues, noted that parts of Azerbaijan experienced three months’ worth of rainfall in a single day earlier this year, triggering flash floods and mudslides across 17 mountain rivers.
This resulted in 120 weather-related crop loss claims from farmers nationwide.
“The efficiency of agriculture is closely tied to climate conditions, making this sector particularly vulnerable to climate change,” Babayev said.
The rising frequency and severity of extreme weather also threaten ecosystems and biodiversity, which are critical to food chains and environmental stability on which human livelihoods depend.
To bolster food security, Azerbaijani officials have prioritized water conservation through subsidies for farms adopting efficient irrigation technologies.
Most of the country’s agricultural parks now operate upgraded irrigation systems, with expansion plans underway in several regions. There is also a growing emphasis on regenerative farming practices and the introduction of drought-resistant crop varieties.
Without accelerated adaptation and policy focus on sustainable intensification, the country risks further production declines and increased vulnerability to global food market shocks, experts warn.
