The Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of Azerbaijan has approved, in the first reading, a draft law introducing significant amendments to the Land Code, the Civil Code, and several laws regulating real estate, land monitoring, and land markets. This legislative package is designed to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the consolidation of agricultural lands across the country.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the initiative aims to address the systemic issue of land fragmentation, which currently limits the efficient use of agricultural resources. By facilitating the consolidation of land plots, the government seeks to enable better utilization of modern agricultural machinery, improve irrigation systems, and ensure more effective application of fertilizers and seeds, ultimately reducing production costs and increasing crop yields.
The consolidation process will be managed by a commission established by the relevant executive authority, which will oversee the voluntary merging, re-bordering, and re-registration of land plots based on equivalent market values. To prevent future fragmentation, the legislation introduces a five-hectare minimum threshold for the division of agricultural land through sales or inheritance. Furthermore, the reforms grant neighboring landowners a right of first refusal when adjacent agricultural plots are put up for sale, encouraging natural market-driven consolidation. These measures, which draw on international best practices including those from Turkey, are expected to play a vital role in strengthening Azerbaijan's food security and promoting the socio-economic development of rural regions.
