The Delegation of the European Union in Azerbaijan has allocated a disbursement of 7.2 million EUR to the Government of Azerbaijan in the framework of the Rural Development Support Programme (RDSP), which supports regional and rural development reforms of the Government of Azerbaijan. The objective is to promote sustainable agricultural and rural development by ensuring food security, food safety and phytosanitary controls, It was told in the press service of EU delegation in Baku.

The ARDSP commenced in 2012 and concentrated on key concerns of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the key objectives being to increase the access to safe quality food; stabilize food availability and supply; and encourage entrepreneurship in the field of agricultural and rural development by improving the business environment and institutional capacity. The EU provided specific support via the budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the following actions, working with key partners such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Economy and Industry, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Health, State Statistics Committee, and State Agricultural University in Ganja:

- Support for the development of the system responsible for control of food safety including the process of harmonizing legislation on food safety to international and EU legislation.

- Support to the Central Reference laboratory was a practical extension of this regulatory support, as well to central and regional veterinary laboratories

- Support for the development of the veterinary service, including harmonization of veterinary procedures, legislation for private clinics and support of state and private veterinary points

- Support for the development and construction of abattoirs for meat products and of elevators for grain

- Support for the establishment of the Early Warning Food Security System, which involved forecasting and publishing information on foodstuffs in Azerbaijan

- Support Programme for wholesale markets, covering ownership status, rules regulating operations and creation of new wholesale units

- Combatting false advertisement and counterfeit products

- Strengthening education for agricultural educational institutions to ensure that the food industry has the necessary skilled cadres.

The overall budget of the ARDSP was Euro 13 million. In addition, Euro 1 million was budgeted for technical assistance for complement the activities.

ARDSP is an important example of the EU cooperation instrument of budget support, whereby the EU makes a financial contribution to the costs of implementing key activities in a sector considered to be a common priority for the European Union and its partner, the Republic of Azerbaijan.