The degradation of approximately 40% of the world’s soil resources creates a global crisis threatening ecosystems, food security, and water resources, Azerbaijani Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov said at a roundtable discussion on “Land degradation and climate change: Losses, damages, and opportunities for strengthening cooperation between Central Asia, Caucasus countries, and arid climate regions” held on the sidelines of COP29 in Baku, Report informs.

“In recent decades, unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation, urban expansion, and increasing impacts of climate change have accelerated the process of land degradation. According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), it is estimated that 12 million hectares of land are lost annually due to degradation,” Mammadov noted.

The minister emphasized the necessity of cooperation in digital transformation of agriculture, technology transfer, and sharing of best practices to achieve sustainable development in light of modern challenges. He added that the use of modern technologies is expanding to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on agriculture and to use existing land and water resources more efficiently, supporting the development of climate-appropriate agricultural systems. State support is provided to farmers in the form of subsidies and credits for the implementation of modern irrigation systems, prevention of land degradation, and activities related to increasing soil fertility.