BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. The third day of Baku Climate Action Week took place in the capital of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.
The event featured speeches by the President of COP29, the Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Climate Issues, Mukhtar Babayev, the Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, Majnun Mammadov, and other officials.
The event discussed topics such as agriculture and food security, all while keeping an eye on the ball regarding climate change, climate technologies, and managing regional water resources sustainably.
Speaking at the event, COP29 President and Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Climate Issues Mukhtar Babayev outlined Azerbaijan's climate agenda priorities. He noted that agriculture is one of the sectors most sensitive to climate change, and that environmental issues related to water resources and the Caspian Sea require urgent attention.
According to Mukhtar Babayev, more than 60 countries have already joined the COP29 Declaration on Water and Climate Action presented by Azerbaijan. As part of this initiative, the Baku Dialogue on Water and Climate was launched to strengthen international cooperation.
In his speech, Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov said that Azerbaijan is preparing a digital roadmap for the introduction of artificial intelligence in agriculture.
According to him, the roadmap for the development of artificial intelligence includes more than 30 practical solutions (from soil monitoring and plant variety mapping to yield forecasting and water-saving irrigation, etc.).
“Smart agriculture must go hand in hand with sustainable water and land management. We are investing in the modernization of irrigation systems to save every drop of water,” Mammadov emphasized.
In his speech, Zaur Mikayilov, Chairman of the State Water Resources Agency of Azerbaijan, noted that by 2023, Azerbaijan plans to meet approximately 90 percent of the country's total water needs, expand wastewater treatment services, introduce loss-free water resource management, and increase water use efficiency in agriculture to 95 percent.
World Bank representative in Azerbaijan Stefanie Stallmeister emphasized the need to strengthen regional cooperation in transboundary water management. She noted that 70 percent of the country's water resources come from transboundary sources, which increases dependence on other countries and underscores the importance of regional cooperation.
The COP29 Presidency effectively conducted the inaugural "Baku Climate Action Week" in collaboration with London, aiming to engage the entire society in preparation for COP29 in November 2024.
