The annual meeting of the World Farmers' Organization (WFO) was held at the FAO Headquarters from 17 to 21 June 2024. Azerbaijan was represented at the meeting by Leyla Jabbarli, Deputy Chairperson of the Agrarian Credit and Development Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, and employees of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Italy.

The event was attended by representatives of government agencies, the private sector and international organizations from different countries, agricultural experts, family farms, cooperatives and farmers.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the meeting under the title "Harvesting tomorrow: Farmers shaping the future of agriculture and food production", FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu touched upon the issue of sustainable agricultural systems in line with new challenges, stressed the importance of increasing productivity while protecting the environment, and noted that the intensive development of the agricultural sector and the creation of more sustainable agro-food systems in the context of global challenges directly depend on the application of modern technologies. The Director-General added that the application of digital technologies will make it possible to increase the efficiency of production processes and adapt to climate change by changing the form of the agro-business value chain.

The annual meeting shared knowledge and experience on the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector, and emphasized the need to organize the efficient use of land and water resources in the face of climate change and global warming.

After the opening ceremony, panel sessions were held on current issues of the agricultural sector. Speaking at the panel session on "From COP28 to COP30: Integration of agriculture and food systems into climate action", AKIA Deputy Chairman Leyla Jabbarli spoke about the reforms being carried out in the agricultural sector in our country, and provided detailed information to the participants of the event on the main directions of the agricultural development strategy in Azerbaijan, and the implemented innovative projects.

The importance of holding the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Azerbaijan was emphasized, and the measures taken to minimize the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector, the Azerbaijani government's special attention to mitigating negative environmental impacts, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, efficient use of natural resources, and protection of biodiversity and ecosystems were discussed. It was also emphasized that the ongoing state support for agricultural producers in our country expands the possibilities for the application of innovative technologies by stimulating the continuous increase of production indicators in this sector.

The panel sessions discussed the role of agricultural innovations in ensuring food security, increasing productivity through the application of innovative solutions, more efficient use of land and water resources, and future cooperation directions in the application of innovation and digitalization in the agricultural sector.

Arnold Puech d'Alissac was approved for the position of President of WFO for 2024-2026.

On the last day of the event, tours were organized for the participants to innovative and climate-sustainable farms in Italy engaged in the production of solar panels and biogas (GreenItaly and Maccarese SpA). It was noted during the visits that relevant research plays an important role in improving sustainable agricultural practices.