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Nazrin Abdul

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Azerbaijan currently has approximately 1.4 million hectares of irrigated land, but only about 11% of this area is equipped with modern irrigation systems, up from just 4% in 2023, Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov announced at the opening ceremony of the second day of Baku Water Week in Baku.

Azernews reports that Minister Mammadov emphasized the urgency of improving water management in Azerbaijan, noting that over 70% of the country’s water resources originate outside its borders. Citing a report by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), he highlighted that Azerbaijan ranks 18th among 33 countries projected to suffer from severe drought by 2040.

“In light of these conditions, we are working to shape our policies carefully,” Mammadov said. “We are also identifying what changes can be made today to avoid serious water shortages in the next 5 to 10 years and beyond.”

Despite the increase in modern irrigation coverage, the minister acknowledged that the current level remains insufficient. “We must intensify incentives and engage farmers more actively in adopting modern irrigation. The government already provides substantial subsidy support to farmers in this regard,” he said.

Over the past six years, Azerbaijan has expanded modern irrigation systems to cover more than 40,000 hectares. In just the first six months of this year, the Agrarian Credit and Development Agency financed the introduction of modern irrigation to over 2,000 hectares.

Mammadov stressed that the primary government support mechanism for farmers involves subsidizing and financing modern irrigation technologies, agricultural machinery, and equipment. “I can confidently say that there is virtually no alternative to this support system globally,” he added.