Drawing attention to the work carried out by TZOB through our Chambers of Agriculture, Chairman Şemsi Bayraktar announced that they determined the studies carried out by the municipalities in the provinces and districts towards the agricultural sector and the expectations of the farmers from the municipalities.
Noting that there has been a 10 million decare decrease in the total cultivated agricultural land in metropolitan cities in 2,5 years, TZOB Chairman Şemsi Bayraktar said, “The total cultivated agricultural land and perennial plant area in our country is 2023 million 23 thousand 941 hectares as of 709. 55,7 percent of the total agricultural area, i.e. 13 million 337 thousand 897 hectares, is in 30 provinces within the borders of the metropolitan municipality. In 2014, the total cultivated agricultural area and perennial plant area within the borders of 30 metropolitan municipalities was 13 million 589 thousand 850 hectares. In 2023, it decreased by 1,85 percent to 13 million 337 thousand 897 hectares. 6360 years have passed since the Metropolitan Law No. 10 came into force, and during this period, 2 and a half million decares of cultivated agricultural land in metropolitan cities has disappeared. A significant part of the metropolitan cities consists of provinces where industry is high and tourism near the coast is more prominent. "In these provinces, where there are many first-class fertile agricultural lands, the threat to the use of agricultural lands for non-agricultural purposes is increasing day by day." he said.
“THE RATE OF RURAL POPULATION HAS DECREASED TO 23 PERCENT”
Stating that there is a decrease in the rural population in Turkey, Bayraktar said, “According to the World Bank's data, while 2014 percent of the Turkish population lived in rural areas in 27, this rate decreased to 2022 percent in 23. Considering that migration from rural to urban areas has accelerated in recent years, we first encounter the need to provide services that improve social and cultural life to rural areas. "Municipalities should make these places livable by providing social and cultural support without disturbing the natural structure of rural life," he said.
Şemsi Bayraktar stated that some municipalities provided post-disaster aid, diesel fuel, fertilizer, feed, medicine, agricultural equipment-machinery, mulch nylon, boat maintenance material, greenhouse aid, and projects for rural development were among the findings, and said, "The supports our farmers need are While some municipalities work together with our Chambers of Agriculture and cooperatives to identify and implement projects for rural areas, most municipalities do not do this work. "In our country, 56 percent of the grain and other plant product cultivation areas, 68 percent of the vegetable garden areas, and 75 percent of the fruit, beverage and spice plant areas are located in metropolitan cities," he said.
According to TZOB's report, Bayraktar listed the expectations of farmers from municipalities under 10 main headings as follows:
1-Agricultural lands should be protected
2- Social areas should be increased in order to keep the young population in rural areas.
3- Municipalities and Chambers of Agriculture should act together
4-Support should be given to the establishment of marketing cooperatives
5- More space should be reserved for producers in neighborhood markets, and producer markets should be established in every district.
6-Supports should be increased
7-Infrastructure services to Rural Areas should be increased
8-Agricultural product processing facilities should be established
9- It should support the establishment of Renewable Energy sources
10-Income in rural areas should be increased through Rural Tourism.
