Baku, Azerbaijan, 3 October 2019 - In October 2019, the capital city of Baku in the Republic of Azerbaijan played host to an important capacity development event; a “Workshop on Strategic Commodities,” co-organized by the IsDB Country Strategy and Market Integration Division and Regional Hub Turkey in cooperation with the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (ICCIA), and National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ASK).

Facilitated by IsDB, around 40 local and international participants attended the two-day workshop from 03-04 October 2019 and underwent an extensive theoretical training on best practices for tomato and hazelnut production which tend to be amongst the major agricultural products in the region. Also attending the event, were experts from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) attending the updates on modern agriculture technologies and diversification and expansion of export markets in the agriculture sector for CIS Countries. 

IsDB Group Regional Hub Turkey was represented by Mr. Selcuk DAG who in his welcome remarks stated that the main aim of the science-based workshop was to enhance expertise, know-how and business network of the representatives of private sector, government agencies, sectoral SMEs, big producers, as well as the relevant business support organizations from CIS Member Countries.

The workshop also focused on key issues and policy options for an effective value chain system from the seed selection, sowing, and harvesting to eventual value addition for better marketing as well as market penetration for the agricultural goods.