Azerbaijan clarifies pasture focus of livestock subsidies

State subsidies allocated for small ruminant farming in Azerbaijan are designed to rehabilitate degraded pastures rather than expand livestock headcount, Deputy Agriculture Minister Ilhama Gadimova told parliament.

Gadimova noted that while the country possesses more than two million hectares of pastureland, significant portions are currently unsuitable for grazing due to climate change and diminishing biodiversity. Stressing that the government promotes intensive cattle farming alongside traditional and semi-intensive sheep and goat breeding, she explained that farmers will use the funds to restore leased pastures, including procuring and sowing suitable forage seeds. Rejecting assumptions that the scheme exclusively benefits large corporate holdings, the official added that the state support covers a portion of pasture reclamation costs to ease the burden on smallholders.

N.Tebrizli