The monitoring and evaluation results for the 2017 implementation of the Strategic Roadmap for Agricultural Production and Processing in the Republic of Azerbaijan have been released. The roadmap includes nine strategic goals, with an overall implementation rate of 46%: 31% of planned measures fully implemented, 29% partially, and 40% not implemented.

1. Strengthening Institutional Capacity to Ensure Food Security – 69% fully implemented, 16% partially, 15% not implemented. Measures included preparing proposals for the creation of the Food Security Commission, establishing monitoring mechanisms for supply risks based on international experience, analyzing production, import, and export indicators of food-based agricultural products, and the creation of the Food Safety Agency.

2. Increasing Agricultural Production Potential Along the Value Chain – 35% fully implemented, 24% partially, 41% not implemented. Activities included the development of specialized horticulture and viticulture zones, determination of prospective fruit and grape varieties, introduction of subsidies for cotton, silk, and tobacco deliveries to processing facilities, and improvement of agricultural cooperative regulations based on international experience.

3. Facilitating Access to Finance – 41% fully implemented, 16% partially, 43% not implemented. Measures included proposals to improve credit legislation for agriculture, preliminary risk assessments, drafting an agricultural insurance law, studying international models, and analyzing the domestic insurance market with international experts.

4. Developing Agricultural Inputs Market and Service Provision – 36% fully implemented, 25% partially, 39% not implemented. Actions involved simplifying land use procedures, preventing idle agricultural lands, analyzing irrigation resources and demand, updating machinery parks, assessing needs of small and medium farms for machinery, and drafting a new seed law.

5. Developing Agriculture Science, Education, and Advisory Services – 23% fully implemented, 29% partially, 48% not implemented. Measures included aligning higher agricultural education with international standards, expanding foreign-language programs at Azerbaijan State Agrarian University (ADAU), establishing a coordination council for agricultural research priorities, and improving advisory centers based on international best practices.

6. Developing Market Infrastructure and Facilitating Producers’ Access – 24% fully implemented, 49% partially, 27% not implemented. Initiatives included creating an Electronic Price Information Portal covering wholesale, retail, and farm-gate prices for key agricultural products, and enabling electronic customs declarations for exports.

7. Environmental Protection and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources – 22% fully implemented, 27% partially, 51% not implemented. Activities included analyzing climate impacts on agriculture, developing climate scenarios, establishing indicators for eco-friendly production, and equipping agrochemical laboratories in 11 districts.

8. Enhancing State Regulation and Improving the Business Environment – 30% fully implemented, 30% partially, 40% not implemented. Measures included completing electronic cadastre registration in 13 districts, registering agricultural producers in the Electronic Agriculture Information System, and developing monitoring indicators for agrarian policy evaluation.

9. Increasing Rural Employment and Improving Well-being – 18% fully implemented, 53% partially, 29% not implemented. Steps included analyzing potential for rural socio-economic development, establishing data sources for monitoring socio-economic status in each settlement, and drafting a state program for rural development.

Key implementing institutions’ performance in 2017: “Supply and Provision of Food Products” JSC – 100%, Ministry of Emergency Situations and Ministry of Finance – 75%, State Committee on Property Issues – 61%, Ministry of Economy – 52%, Financial Market Supervisory Authority, State Statistics Committee, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, and Ministry of Taxes – each 50%, Ministry of Agriculture, Melioration and Water Management JSC, “Agrolizing” JSC, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Ministry of Justice – 43%, 41%, 38%, 37%, and 33%, respectively.