A draft law on the agrarian sector will bar landowners from leaving arable farmland unused, with fallowing the only permitted exception.
The draft legislation underscores that land will be protected by the state as the primary means of agricultural production. It sets out a series of measures aimed at the efficient use and protection of farmland.
Under the bill, land will have to be used according to its designated purpose and in line with the specialization areas set for crop and livestock farming. The legislation also encourages the adoption of modern irrigation systems, artificial intelligence and up-to-date farming equipment.
The document also addresses the protection of soil fertility and safeguards against contamination, in line with Azerbaijan’s Law on Soil Fertility. It envisions the development of agrochemical maps reflecting land productivity as well as physical and chemical indicators, which will be updated to account for climate change.
The bill calls for reducing the fragmentation of land plots through unified cultivation, consolidation and cooperative farming, while encouraging joint land use. Land users will be offered information and consultation services on preserving soil fertility.
The legislation bans littering, polluting and damaging farmland, as well as using it carelessly or for purposes other than its designated use. It also prohibits the burning of cropland. In addition, the measures include the collection and analysis of data on how land is being used.
Land use and protection are currently governed by Azerbaijan’s Land Code, the Law on Soil Fertility and other regulatory legal acts.
