The project, funded by Global Environment Facility and implemented by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR), aims to increase social and economic benefits from forests, improve the quality of existing forests and increase carbon sequestration.

The project will contribute to the development of a methodology for data collection, assessment and reporting, establishment of an operational national forest assessment and monitoring system, improvement of forest management planning in two selected regions.

Moreover, it will involve income generating activities for local small farm holders and investigate its application possibilities along with enhancement of carbon stocks in degraded forest fund land and ensure sustainability and upscale sustainable forest management through provision of up-to-date information on forest resources and their trend and dissemination of lessons learned and good practices.

The staff of MENR will be trained by the assistance of internationally and locally recruited consultants on operationalisation of the national forest assessment and monitoring system, forest and carbon stock inventory, use of Collect Earth software and Ex-Act tool for carbon calculation.

The practical and operational training courses on forest management planning and geographical information system will be implemented throughout the project lifecycle. This project will also support fulfilment of the commitments of Azerbaijan under Paris Agreement related to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, where the country committed by 2030 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 35% in compare with to 1990 emissions.

The head of FAO Partnership and Liaison office in Azerbaijan Melek Cakmak, deputy minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Firdovsi Aliyev, acting director of the Forest Development Department of MENR Sohrab Abbasov, head of unit of the Forest Development Department Sadig Salmanov, technical and operational staff from FAO Headquarters based in Rome and Sub-regional office for Central Asia based in Ankara have addressed in the event.

The experts from different departments of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, representatives from respective state agencies and non-governmental organizations have also participated in the event.

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