The festival held in the village of Agali, Zangilan region, aims to support the development of agriculture in the liberated territories.

Organized by the Agrarian Innovation Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and supported by the Special Representation of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan regions, the next festival was held in the village of Agali, Zangilan region. The festival, held for the first time in the liberated regions, was met with great interest by residents and farmers. The festival was organized to support the development of agriculture in the liberated territories and to ensure farmers' familiarity with and access to modern technologies.

As part of the festival, agricultural products and technologies were exhibited in the village of Aghaly in the Zangilan region. Farmers were provided with information about modern irrigation systems, innovative technologies, and solutions that increase productivity. The festival also hosted panel discussions and educational sessions organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, other relevant government agencies, and private enterprises.

At the Agricultural Business Festival, practical experiments on spraying herbicides and pesticides using spray drones were carried out for residents of Zangilan and Jabrayil districts, who received theoretical training on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in agriculture by specialists from the Turkish company "Sapmaz Aviation and Advanced Technologies".

The official opening of the festival was attended by the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Majnun Mammadov, Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan regions Vahid Hajiyev, farmers from Zangilan, Jabrayil, Gubadli, Fuzuli, Beylagan and other surrounding regions.

Opening the event with an introductory speech, Vahid Hajiyev, the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan regions, said that the village of Aghaly in the Zangilan region was the first address of the "Great Return": "There has been life in Aghaly for 3 years now. "It is very gratifying that today, for the first time, an agricultural festival is taking place in the village of Agalı, where firsts were experienced. Here, companies and farmers specializing in the agricultural sector come together and present their services and products. I think that holding such an event will be a significant contribution to the development of agriculture in the liberated territories."

Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov noted that as a result of the strategy laid on solid foundations by the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, the policy pursued by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, and the valor of our glorious army, our lands were liberated from occupation in a short time. Currently, extensive construction and restoration work is underway in these areas. The Minister noted that a great responsibility lies with people working in agriculture in connection with the restoration of agricultural activity on historical lands and the revitalization of the land. Supporting digital agricultural systems, agrarian startups, and the application of artificial intelligence and smart agricultural technologies is transforming agriculture into a more productive and modern sector. Calling agriculture a science-based field of activity, the minister recalled that lands in the village of Agali were provided for the use of residents, and emphasized that as a result of proper organization of land and water infrastructure and agrotechnical maintenance, economic benefits and productivity in the agricultural sector in the village of Agali will be higher.

Anar Jafarov, Director of the Agrarian Innovation Center, noted in his speech that Agrarian Business Festivals, in addition to demonstrating new technologies and products, are also a platform for education and exchange of experiences. He said that through these festivals, farmers not only get acquainted with the latest innovations applied in the agricultural sector, but also gain new opportunities to market their products.

At the end of the official opening part, those who participated in the training were presented with certificates and drone driving licenses approved by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Turkey.

At the festival, companies specializing in agriculture demonstrated agricultural machinery and equipment, modern irrigation systems, technologies powered by alternative energy sources, fertilizers and pesticides, climate change-resistant plant varieties, and other innovative products.

At the credit fair organized as part of the festival, state financial institutions and leading banks offered farmers advantageous credit products, and farmers were informed about loans allocated for organizing their farm business.

Also, a panel discussion on the topic of "State Financial Mechanisms" was organized at the festival. The session exchanged views on the prospects for financing the agricultural sector in the East Zangezur economic region. The panel discussion, with the participation of financial institutions from the public and private sectors, discussed state support mechanisms for the agricultural sector, preferential loans and subsidies, agricultural insurance opportunities, expanding farmers' access to financial resources, and other topics. During the session, questions from farmers and entrepreneurs were answered and detailed information was provided about existing and new financial mechanisms.

Students from about 10 universities participating in the "Application of Artificial Intelligence in Precision Agriculture" project also attended the festival.

Within the framework of the aforementioned project, a "Bootcamp" was organized in the village of Aghaly, Zangilan district, on April 29. At the "Bootcamp", information sessions were held with the participation of students of higher education institutions, young researchers, and owners of large private enterprises, where artificial intelligence is taught within the framework of the project.

An infotour was organized for students participating in the Bootcamp and entrepreneurs attending the festival to a number of private farms located in the Zangilan district.