History
The ministry overseeing agricultural activity was first established on May 28, 1918 with declaration of independence ofOrganization
As per the Presidential Decree No. 467 dated October 23, 2004 with the purpose of increasing the agricultural capacity of the country, the ministry focuses on development of production and processing of the agricultural products; provision of information to producers of the agricultural products; melioration and water economy, veterinary, plant quarantine and favorable use of the soil; implementation of unique scientific-technical policy, organization of first priority programs on plant growing and animal breeding; ensuring supply food security in the country; economic and social development of the villages. The ministry holds trade and investment conferences in order to attract foreign investment into the sector and promote Azerbaijani foods in the world markets. In 2007, it held an Azerbaijan Food and Agriculture Trade Mission in the United States organized by the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce.International Cooperation
Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan is closely cooperating with a number of international organizations, as well as the countries with great experience in the field of agriculture for study of experience of the leading organizations and countries, establishment and expanding legal frameworks for different directions of agrarian sector jointly by other countries, preparing and implementing international projects. Note that, the intergovernmental commission on cooperation with foreign countries plays very important role in development of bilateral cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and other countries. Between 1994 and 2004 the Ministry implemented different projects and programs such as "Organizational assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture", "Aid to families and commercial farmers", "Privatization of the sector of foodstuff distribution in Azerbaijan", "Regional Agrarian Reform-1", "Assistance in bank activity of the agrarian sphere, organization of village credit entities", "Unions on assistance to Regional Pilot Agrobusiness", "Establishment of exemplary private agricultural enterprises" and "Development and Crediting of the Agriculture", "Support of private initiatives in the Agriculture", "Consult on Agrarian policy", "Development of potato seedage in Azerbaijan and establishment of its base", "Establishment of services on artificial fertilization" and "Increase of foodstuffs in Azerbaijan-2KR", "Inventory of plant cover and soil use in Azerbaijan with the method of far-distance probe", "Strengthening of phytosanitary services", "Strengthening of diagnosis, struggle and control over intensive infected animal diseases", "Vaccine supply for the assistance to the veterinary", "Project of the development of mountainous and high mountainous regions", "Food security". These projects have been implemented by support ofFunctions of the Ministry
The Ministry is responsible for: * implementing state policy in the agrarian field * monitoring the compliance with legislation in the agrarian area * taking part in the preparation and implementation of state policy in the field of infrastructure development and in the preparation of regulatory and legal acts * carrying out public policy in the field of land reclamation and water management, irrigation * running a common scientific and technical policy in the agrarian sphere * carrying out the state policy in the field of food security of the country * providing veterinary service, supervising the production of safe food products and raw materials * ensuring plant protection and quarantine in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan * pursuing a policy of granting loans in the agricultural area to the socio-economic development of rural areas * organize accounting and statistical returns * perform other duties set out by the legislation of the Republic of AzerbaijanReforms
As a result of the first Nagorno-Karabakh War, Azerbaijan's agricultural sector went into a recession which led the leadership to pass three laws''About the agrarian reforms'' and ''About reforms in state farms and collective farms'' on February 18, 1995 and ''About land reform'' on July 16, 1995. According to the Presidential Decree from October 23, 2004 which also included establishment of "Agroleasing" Open Stock Company providing leasing of equipment and funding, AZN 100 billion and AZN 150 billion were allocated in 2005 and 2006 to the sector. As a result, in comparison to statistics in 1995, grain growing increased by 2.3 times in 2004, potatoes by 5.9 times, water melon products by 8.5, vegetables by 2.5, fruit and berry by 1.3, meat by 1.9, milk by 1.4, eggs by 1.5, the quantity of the cattle heads by 1.3, the quantity of sheep and goats by 1.6 times.See also
* Cabinet of Azerbaijan *References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ministry of Agriculture (Azerbaijan)