Azerbaijan widely represented at Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul
Istanbul, June 6, AZERTAC
On the sidelines of the Zero Waste Forum 2026 held in Istanbul, Türkiye, a High-Level Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture was convened under the theme "Reducing post-harvest losses – increasing efficiency in the food supply chain." Azerbaijan was represented at the event by Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov.
Speaking at the meeting, Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli stated that ensuring food security against the backdrop of modern challenges and rapid population growth is of vital importance. He noted that globally, 13 percent of produced food is lost during post-harvest stages, while another 19 percent is wasted in households, markets, restaurants, and catering establishments. As a result, one-third of all produced food is destroyed before ever reaching the table.
According to calculations, the annual financial damage caused by food loss and waste to the global economy amounts to 1 trillion US dollars. Minister Yumakli emphasized: “To strengthen food security, producing more products is not enough. We must protect existing production, store it under appropriate conditions, ensure its safe transportation, and efficiently deliver it to markets and, ultimately, to consumers. Every product lost after harvest means the disappearance of food that could have reached a family's table, alongside the waste of invaluable natural resources such as water, land, and energy.”
In his address, Azerbaijan's Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov touched upon global food security, the efficient use of resources, and the sustainable development of the agricultural sector. The Minister emphasized that reducing post-harvest losses must remain a key priority. From this perspective, increasing investments in agro-logistics centers, storage infrastructure, transport networks, and digital technologies is crucial. He noted that artificial intelligence, smart monitoring systems, precision agricultural technologies, and data analytics enable the real-time tracking of products, enhance supply chain efficiency, and mitigate losses.
Majnun Mammadov added that Azerbaijan is currently implementing comprehensive measures to reduce food losses across the entire agricultural value chain. Ongoing investments in the agrarian sector are expected to significantly reduce product losses, strengthen the agricultural value chain, improve market access, and bolster the country's overall food security.
Following the Ministerial Meeting, panel sessions were held on the themes of "The role of research and innovation, cold chain and smart logistics applications in agriculture in reducing post-harvest losses" and "Regulatory alignment, technical barriers and next-generation trade policies in agricultural and food trade."
The panel discussions continued in a Q&A format, where experts shared insights on ensuring the inclusive and sustainable development of agriculture in the face of global climate change. Discussions also focused on the efficient use of natural resources, increasing production yields, upgrading transport infrastructure, and strengthening international cooperation.
Additionally, dedicated pavilions of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Nizami Ganjavi International Center were opened as part of the forum.
Organized under the patronage of the First Lady of Türkiye, Emine Erdoğan, the event aims to contribute to creating a definitive roadmap ahead of COP31, under the theme "Road to Antalya: Zero Waste as Climate Action."
Holding the status of the world's largest Zero Waste Forum, the event aims to bring together more than 5,000 participants from 183 countries, including over 100 ministers and more than 200 mayors.
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