Azerbaijan joins international talks on land consolidation

An Azerbaijani delegation is taking part in international discussions on land consolidation and land banking in Budapest, Hungary.

According to Report, citing the Ministry of Agriculture, the 17th International LANDNET Workshop and Second Interregional Dialogue on Family Farming, organized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), will continue through September 11.

The event is discussing the future of land consolidation and land banking, the development of a competitive agricultural sector dominated by family farms, the creation of dynamic rural areas that provide decent living conditions for the population, including young people and women, as well as strengthening preparedness for challenges facing rural areas, including climate change.

The meeting also envisages a broad discussion of a strategy on land consolidation and land banking. The strategy establishes a broader policy framework for applying these two complementary land management tools and covers mechanisms for using them to address various challenges, as well as the steps needed for their implementation at the program level.

As part of the event, Azerbaijani representatives are also discussing with experts and representatives of countries with advanced experience in land consolidation the implementation of Item 8.1.1.3 of the "State Program for the Development of Production and Processing of Agricultural, Fisheries and Aquaculture Products in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2026–2030," which provides for establishing a land consolidation mechanism and implementing it as a pilot project.

In this context, opportunities to implement two pilot land consolidation projects in the Gabala and Salyan districts in cooperation with the World Bank are expected to be discussed.

The main purpose of introducing land consolidation and land banking tools is to prevent excessive fragmentation of agricultural land, increase the average size of farms and create more efficient farm structures.

These tools also enable the effective management of agricultural land, including its use for new purposes, to support rural development and respond to challenges posed by climate change.

Land consolidation and land banking can also be implemented in an integrated manner with other land management tools, such as the active management of state-owned agricultural land and the organization of leases.