Oxfam is trying to increase food security in Azerbaijan

The British humanitarian organization Oxfam with the financial support of the European Union initiated two projects to support food security through small-scale farmers and rural development on the basis of gender .

In Baku there was presentation of projects with the participation of representatives of government, parliament , international organizations and NGOs today.

The project "Improvement of food security through the production of small farmers " will be implemented with the active participation of the public association " Help Economic Initiatives " and Azerbaijani alliance food security. As part of this project in three districts ( Barda, Tartar and Agdam ) will promote cooperation undertaken 50 thousand small individual farms that affect the level of productivity and welfare. In the central regions of the country the project will be implemented until 2016 to support 4,000 farmers engaged in the cultivation of strawberries and vegetables.

According to project leader for the development of rural areas Oxfam Ramil Aslanova , Azerbaijan 80% dependent on imports of seeds for vegetables and some imported seeds are not qualitative. Mechanization of labor organized at a low level . This and other factors lead to the fact that vegetable production cost is higher than elsewhere.

According to the Index of food Oxfam, compiled to measure the supply of the population quality and affordable food, Azerbaijan ranks 91 among 125 countries in the world for the quality of food , yielding even Armenia ( 57th place). Azerbaijan adopted several state programs for regional development and a reliable food supply of the population. However, to achieve the objectives will require the development of a National Strategy to improve food security by 2018 , which would take into account the interests of small groups of farmers through their cooperatives and ultimately achieve abundance and accessibility of food, said the Oxfam program director Orkhan Ali.

The Oxfam representative in Azerbaijan since 2006 has implemented 15 projects for agriculture, including improving knowledge and skills of farmers , rehabilitation of irrigation sources , the output of farmers in local and foreign markets , etc. - 08C-