Local and National Seeds Meet with Urban Women Farmers

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry brings together women farmers in metropolitan cities with local and national seeds within the scope of Urban Agriculture practices. With the Project of Bringing Local and National Seeds to Urban Women Farmers, the Ministry gave vegetable seedlings to women farmers in 26 districts in Ankara, 15 districts in Istanbul and 30 districts in Izmir with grant rates of up to 100 percent. Thus, a total of 3 million vegetable seedlings were supplied in 4 metropolitan cities and brought together with the soil.

Again, within the scope of the Ministry's Project on Enabling the Use of Agricultural Lands, priority was given to projects involving young and female farmers in the evaluation of project proposals from 81 Provincial Directorates of Agriculture and Forestry.

In this direction, with the project; Fruit and vegetable drying facilities were installed in Women Farmer Cooperatives in Istanbul, Manisa, Hatay, Tokat, Aksaray, Isparta, Izmir and Samsun.

Thus, waste of fruits and vegetables for fresh consumption is prevented and value-added products are obtained.

SUPPORTS

Other supports given by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to women farmers in plant production are as follows:

• In the 14-276 period, a total of 2018 million TL support was provided to 2021 thousand 35 female farmers who produce with Organic Agriculture and Good Agricultural Practices.
• 847 million lira support payment was made to 10 thousand 694 female farmers who produce with good agricultural practices on 43 thousand decares of land.
• An additional 5 points are given to women and young producers when they apply to rent from treasury land parcels to grow medicinal aromatic plants and ornamental plants.
• Within the scope of herbal production support, real person farmers who are registered in the ÇKS and whose total area of ​​agricultural activity is 5 decares or less and who cultivate fruit, vegetables, ornamental plants, medicinal and aromatic plants in open and/or greenhouse units, excluding fresh tea and hazelnut products, , Small Family Business support is provided. The support unit price is applied as 100 TL per decare with an increase of 200%. Since 2016, when the application started, more than 99 thousand small family businesses have been paid 33 million liras to support.

KRISCI: “WE STRENGTHEN AGRICULTURE WITH WOMEN”

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Prof. Dr. Vahit Kirişci stated that they are trying to make a rational planning that will ensure Turkey's food security, strengthen sustainability in production and increase efficiency by using production resources correctly.

Pointing out that 'Urban Agriculture' is one of the most important pillars of this planning, Kirişci said, “With the understanding of on-site production-on-site consumption, we are implementing Urban Agriculture practices step by step in order to provide consumers with access to fresh, cheap and least wastage vegetables and fruits. In this context, we are rapidly expanding Specialized Organized Industrial Zones Based on Agriculture, where clean and renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and biomass will be used, in addition to our geothermal resources. We have reached the final stage in our work on Urban Agriculture. Here, we are preparing a 3-year action plan in the first place. Our women and young farmers are very important to us in our Urban Agriculture practices.

Underlining that they give priority to young and female producers in investments and supports related to agriculture, Kirişci made the following assessment:

“In this context, we give priority to our women in rural development supports and make positive discrimination. We give additional points to our female investors in IPARD project selection to make them stand out. Since 2007, 5 thousand 466 female investors have been supported. We are passing through a period in which we realize once again how important agriculture, which we see as a national security problem, is for the survival and independence of our country.

We strengthen agriculture, which is the most strategic sector for us, with the power of our youth and women.

Our women, who have written success stories in many fields from science to economy, from sports to art, from politics to academics, are also heroes of agriculture. It is our first goal to pave the way for them.”