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Improving Livelihood and Food Security in Azerbaijan through Sustainable Hazelnut Production - UTF/AZE/016/AZE

Year of publication 2024

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 2

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Project

Synopsis (short abstract) Agriculture plays a vital role in Azerbaijan, employing over 35 percent of the workforce and contributing 5 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Hazelnut cultivation, in particular, stands out as one of the most profitable cash crops in the country. Indeed, as one of the world's top five producers, Azerbaijan produced 72 105 metric tonnes of hazelnuts in 2022.Although government incentives have supported the country’s hazelnut industry, with subsidies for land, seedlings, fertilizer, machinery and export revenue returns, the sector has faced a number of challenges, including low productivity per ha, unsustainable agricultural practices (high fertilizer and pesticide usage) and crop protection risks, the latter deriving mainly from contamination by aflatoxin, a highly toxic carcinogen. In this context, the present project was formulated to empower smallholder farmers to adopt good agricultural practices (GAP) to increase the production efficiency of hazelnuts, with adapted mechanization technologies and services, as well as to increase the quality of nuts produced, with a specific focus on reducing the risk of aflatoxin contamination. The project also aimed to strengthen the relevant government institutions and state agencies, while fostering links with private sector stakeholders.

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