Expanding economic development to rural areas is a top priority for Azerbaijan, as it works to diversify the national economy and reduce dependence on oil. One of the first impediments to be tackled is excessive land fragmentation and small farm sizes.

A new project launched here today by FAO will help Azerbaijan develop a national strategy for land consolidation, and work with the Ministry of Agriculture and other national institutions to improve their knowledge and capacity for carrying out modern land consolidation projects. Government staff will gain hands-on experience by working with FAO experts to implement voluntary land consolidation in a selected pilot area of the country.