Sayad village is one of the most ancient settlements nestled on the Caspian Sea coast of Azerbaijan’s Khachmaz district. It’s long been famous for its numerous varieties of succulent tomatoes thanks to the farmers’ careful cultivation of the crop and the sunny climate. But something new and transformative is happening. Farmers are reviving and building on their region’s traditional agricultural techniques, such as crop rotation, with the help of training and support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Union.

At the heart of this change is the formation of farmer groups based on commodities. As a tomato farmer, Hikmat Azizov is a member of the "Field Tomato" commodity-based agricultural advisory services group created in the village. He says the weekly trainings provided under the FAO Strengthening Agrarian Advisory Services (SAAS) initiative helped him with new knowledge about plant breeding, irrigation and environmentally friendly fertilizers.

Hikmat says the farming methods they have been using to date, "have served us well, but thanks to this project, I can now see a brighter future for myself and my family. We have seen improved yields, cost savings and better returns for our hard work. It is truly a blessing," Hikmat comments.

In the group, the tomato farmers learned about methods for "planting on beds," or growing vegetables, herbs and other plants in dedicated areas of soil that are separated from the rest of the garden, making it easier to access and tend to the plants and to help control weeds and soil erosion.

They also got detailed explanations of one of Azerbaijan's most common forms of traditional organic farming, which is crop rotation, or planting different crops in the same field over time, which can help prevent soil erosion and reduce pests.  The combination of these methods can help preserve the country’s biodiversity while helping increase crop yields, reduce the need for chemical inputs and provide a healthier and more nutritious food source.