Minister: Baku Harmoniya Initiative poised to continue climate fight beyond COP29 PHOTO

The Baku Harmoniya Initiative will carry on its mission after COP29, according to Azerbaijan’s Minister of Agriculture, Mejnun Mammadov.

Speaking at the launch event titled "Launch of Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers: Empowering Farmers for Climate Resilience", Mammadov confirmed the initiative’s ongoing impact, Caliber.Az reports.

“We aim at new tools, cooperation with international organizations, with partners around the world. The Baku Harmoniya Initiative will continue beyond COP29,” he stated.

Mammadov highlighted the detrimental effects of climate change on agriculture, including rising temperatures, water scarcity, and frequent natural disasters. He emphasized that farmers are often excluded from the global climate dialogue, which the Baku Harmoniya Initiative seeks to address.

“The Baku Harmoniya Initiative proposes to change this narrative. (...) Harmoniya will be a common platform bringing together various partnerships in the fields of agriculture, water, and food. It is also planned to provide farmers with practical knowledge, access to digital technologies, and a platform to bring together best practices and knowledge,” the minister emphasized.

Mammadov further stated that agriculture requires investment and expressed the intention to facilitate access to these investments through the new platform. “We are ready to share experiences, to create a sustainable future for agriculture. Harmoniya is not just an initiative, it is a call to action. It is a commitment for farmers to support the world in the fight against the biggest challenge,” he added.

Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev also spoke about a significant aspect of the initiative, emphasizing the support for women farmers. 

He noted, “Harmoniya also supported the year 2026, called the International Year of Women Farmers. This global event will celebrate the vital role of women in agriculture. It will feature success stories. Women farmers play a critical role in building resilience to climate change.”

Babayev called on various entities to contribute to the initiative, stating, “Together we can create a resilient and sustainable future for our farming communities.”

The World Bank has also committed to promoting the Baku Harmoniya Initiative. Shobha Shetty, Global Agriculture and Food Director at the World Bank said, “I congratulate the COP29 Chairmanship on the launch of the Baku Harmony initiative, which will be an important tool for sharing and disseminating knowledge, attracting investment, and empowering smallholder farmers. This initiative fits perfectly with the WB’s commitment to promote sustainable agriculture, ensure food security, and support rural development to create a world free of poverty and livable.”

Shetty emphasized the World Bank’s role, saying, “We are building our work on the sustainable transformation of the agri-food sector on three pillars: knowledge, finance, and partnership. Since signing the Paris Agreement, the WB has increased its annual climate-focused investments in agriculture eightfold, reaching nearly $3 billion by FY 2023. Last fiscal year, climate finance accounted for 62 per cent of total lending in the agriculture and food sectors, up significantly from 51 per cent the year before. We are also working to double our agri-finance and agribusiness commitments to $9 billion a year by 2030.”

FAO Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, Viorel Gutsu, also highlighted the importance of initiatives like Baku Harmoniya. 

He remarked, “Last year at COP28, 160 countries signed the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Change, recognizing the central role of agri-food systems in addressing the climate crisis. This year at COP29 in Baku, we are launching the Baku Harmoniya initiative.”

By Tamilla Hasanova