Mukhtar Babayev: Climate change increases pressure on agricultural productivity

Climate change is increasing pressure on agricultural productivity, Azerbaijanchr("39")s Presidential Representative for Climate Issues Mukhtar Babayev said on the second day of Baku Climate Action Week 2026 (BCAW 2026), Olaylar informs.

According to Babayev, climate-resilient agriculture was an important part of last yearchr("39")s Baku Climate Action Week.

"It is highly important that we return to this issue. Because although a year has passed, the challenge ahead has not become smaller; on the contrary, it has become even more urgent. Agriculture around the world is increasingly exposed to severe heat, droughts, floods, changing precipitation patterns and growing water scarcity," he said.

Babayev noted that the impacts are already measurable. Studies show that climate change has reduced the growth of global agricultural productivity by approximately 21% since 1961, equivalent to the loss of about seven years of productivity gains.

He said these pressures are emerging at a time when food systems are already under strain.

"In 2024, approximately 673 million people faced hunger, while around 2.3 billion people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity. Conflicts, economic shocks, poverty and disruptions to supply chains all play a role in this process. However, climate change is increasingly amplifying these risks," Babayev said.

He added that Azerbaijan is also experiencing these changes, noting that agriculture is an important part of the countrychr("39")s economy and a source of livelihoods in its regions.

"However, the conditions in which our farmers operate are changing. We are witnessing unusually long dry periods, more frequent heatwaves and increasingly intense torrential rains," he said.

According to Babayev, the longest heatwave recorded in 2024 lasted 40 days in Shaki and 17 days in Baku.

He also pointed to the growing frequency of flash floods. While 15 such incidents were recorded in 2015, the figure rose to 36 in 2020 and stood at 33 in 2024.

"These figures show that we are no longer simply observing climate change; we are experiencing it directly," Babayev said.