BAKU, Sept. 25 — Azerbaijan plans to expand the area of farmland using modern irrigation systems from 130,000 hectares to 300,000 hectares by 2030, Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov said.
Mammadov outlined the target at the Azerbaijan International Investment Forum, according to Vesti Baku.
The plan would add modern irrigation to another 170,000 hectares and increase the total coverage by roughly 2.3 times. The target is included in Azerbaijan’s state program for agricultural, fisheries and aquaculture production and processing for 2026–2030.
More efficient water use is expected to raise crop yields while making agriculture more resilient to climate risks. The government has identified water delivery, measurement and reduced losses in irrigation networks as key priorities.
Drones, Satellites and Artificial Intelligence
The agricultural sector also plans wider use of precision farming, satellite data, remote sensing, field sensors, drones, smart irrigation systems and artificial intelligence.
Mammadov said the main goals were higher productivity and lower resource losses. The 300,000-hectare objective has been publicly stated throughout 2026 and was also confirmed in the government’s agricultural program, according to reporting on the minister’s September remarks.