Champions of the South-South cooperation: FAO awards Azerbaijan–Türkiye agricultural partnership

A fruitful collaboration between Azerbaijan and Türkiye in advancing agricultural services received an award from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at the FAO Global Technical Recognition Ceremony on 15 October 2025 for its outstanding contribution to South–South and triangular cooperation (SSTC).

The project, titled Support for Structural Reform and Strategic Development of the Agrarian Services Agency (ASA), received this accolade under the category of Projects Championing SSTC, celebrating its role in promoting institutional capacity development, knowledge exchange and sustainable agricultural innovation between the two countries.

Reform and development through knowledge exchange and joint efforts

Founded in 2019 under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Agrarian Services Agency plays a crucial role in advancing agricultural productivity, safety and sustainability in Azerbaijan, accounting for veterinary, plant protection, seed certification and agricultural machinery control services. It provides state support to protect agricultural producers from risks such as animal and plant diseases and contributes to funding vaccination against infectious diseases (for example, anthrax, scabies, brucellosis and rabies) as well as measures against various blood parasites. The ASA also offers support with pest management and the organization of technical control services for tractors and other agricultural vehicles.

Recognizing the ASA’s pivotal role in agricultural modernization and food security, the Government of Azerbaijan requested FAO’s support for its institutional and technical strengthening and strategic restructuring under the FAO–Azerbaijan Partnership Programme to deliver high-quality services.

The South–South cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye was an instrumental piece of the puzzle. Working together, the two countries made knowledge exchange, technical training and the design of a joint strategy the three pillars of the five thematic groups established to focus on each function of the ASA: plant and seed production, plant protection services, animal health and veterinary services, agricultural machinery, and strategic development. These groups organize workshops, training sessions, study tours and expert exchange between Türkiye and Azerbaijan to transfer know-how in legislation, laboratory management and service delivery. 

Crucially, the project made strides in increasing the ASA’s technical and institutional capacity and improving interagency coordination while also contributing to a lasting South-South cooperation mechanism between Azerbaijan and Türkiye. In other words, SSTC has become a solid bridge with a strong, effective and continuous two-way flow of knowledge and experience transfer between institutions and experts in the two countries for the implementation of results-based project management.

“As a recently established agency, we are still undergoing institutional setup,” said Elmaddin Namazov, ASA Deputy Chair. “The South-South cooperation platform has enabled us to transfer Türkiye’s know-how and best practices to Azerbaijan through organized workshops, study tours and expert consultations. This collaboration has significantly strengthened our institutional capacities.” 

With new joint projects already in development, both countries are committed to continuing this successful partnership to drive innovation, resilience and sustainability in the agricultural sector.

“Forging a strong collaboration is what really delivers tangible and sustainable results, and knowledge and experience become more valuable when shared,” said Bahadir Topal, International Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist and South–South Cooperation Coordinator. “The South–South cooperation provides the necessary platform and tools for meaningful exchange and teamwork and lays the foundation for years of joint efforts beyond the project cycle. This award is a testament to how regional partnerships can drive substantial improvements in national systems, benefiting farmers and strengthening agrifood systems.”

Shining the spotlight on South–South cooperation

FAO’s recognition of the Azerbaijan–Türkiye partnership as a champion project in South–South cooperation not only highlights its technical success but also positions it as a model for similar initiatives globally.

For Türkiye, this wasn’t the only significant SSTC project this year: In collaboration with Nigeria, the FAO–Türkiye Partnership Programme supported diversification and sustainable crop production intensification for smallholder farmers in the drylands of Borno State, Nigeria, improving household nutrition and incomes, boosting farmers’ production skills and creating scalable models for other dryland areas. This cooperation was highlighted by FAO during the From Seeds to Food exhibition in Rome as another blueprint for such joint initiatives.

Meanwhile, looking ahead, the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and FAO have signed a joint SSTC project on climate-smart agriculture in the Fergana Valley, which will be launched in December 2025 to strengthen climate resilience and agricultural productivity in Central Asia’s most fertile region. To be implemented in in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan during the next three years, this project marks the first-ever cooperation between FAO and the UNOSSC.

©FAO