The EU and FAO project is developing a commodity-based agricultural advisory platform

The EU-funded and implemented by UN`s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) “Strengthening Agricultural Advisory Services” project organized a discussion for local farmers on the main diseases and pests of sunflower, their control, and priority areas of agrarian advisory services in Sarkar village of Samukh region. Along with experts and employees of the Ganja office of the Project, employees of the Azerbaijan State Agricultural University and Samukh Plant Protection Center also took part in the discussion. Observations of arable land and information on farmers’ existing knowledge indicated a serious need for advisory services in this area. During the discussions, the importance of the creation of innovative demonstration field and application of the effective practices and achievements of this field by farmers in their own fields were emphasized.

It should be noted that the project “Strengthening Agricultural Advisory Services” is working on a new model for the development of advisory services in agriculture in Azerbaijan and a 5-year strategy for the country. The strategy and model developed by the project will be tested in two pilot regions – Ganja-Gazakh and Guba-Khachmaz. Work is underway to create a platform for agricultural advisory services on commodities that play an important role in the economy and employment of both regions. Sarkar village of Samukh, Aliyagublu village of Shamkir, and Boyuk Kesik village of Agstafa were selected as pilot communities in Ganja-Gazakh region. Currently, work is underway to establish a model platform to provide agricultural advisory services to farmers growing sunflowers, greenhouse tomatoes, and sorghum in these communities.