Sustainable Land Management and Climate Friendly Agriculture Project in Konya

The "Sustainable Land Management and Climate-Friendly Agriculture Project", which aims at the sustainable management of forests, agricultural areas and pastures and increases yields in Konya Closed Basin, and enables farmers to be taught environmentally friendly practices by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, was terminated with a ceremony. 

The "Sustainable Land Management and Climate-Friendly Agriculture Project", which aims at the sustainable management of forests, agricultural areas and pastures and increases yields in Konya Closed Basin, and enables farmers to be taught environmentally friendly practices by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, was terminated with a ceremony.

The closing meeting of the "Sustainable Land Management and Climate-Friendly Agriculture Project", which has been going on for 7 years in Konya and Karaman provinces with the financial support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Global Environment Fund and in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, was held at Sheraton Ankara Hotel and Congress Center.

The aim of the project was to ensure the sustainable management of forests, agricultural areas and pastures in the Konya Closed Basin in the period of 2015-2022 and the integration of biodiversity into land use plans, to combat climate change and to spread low-carbon technologies.

In this period, a biodiversity management plan and an Ereğli Integrated Forest Management Plan were prepared. For the first time in Turkey, the sustainable management of 231 thousand 274 hectares of forest, the main purpose of which is not wood production, was certified. Preventive agricultural practices were introduced and spread, and farmers were trained through the Applied Farmers' School. 4 farm-type biogas plants were established. Greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced.

Shepherds and farmers were provided with various equipment that would provide ease and protection in their production. The use of renewable energy was encouraged to combat climate change. Producers and nature were helped to develop. Beekeepers were supported to increase their income with climate-friendly products.

In his speech, Viorel Gutu, Coordinator and Representative of FAO's Sub-Regional Office for Central Asia and Turkey, stressed that the project was launched to address the increasing pressures of climate change on the agriculture, food and forestry sectors, particularly droughts and floods caused by changes in rainfall patterns.

Stating that a total of 4 million carbon dioxide equivalents have been reduced so far thanks to the interventions made by the project, Gutu said, "The project has contributed to the fertilizer management in the Konya Closed Basin through the installation and operation of 4 biogas systems. By implementing programmed irrigation, it ensured that the water scarcity caused by the overuse of groundwater in agriculture in Konya Closed Basin was eliminated. This approach has helped to save about 30 percent of energy and water."

Gutu emphasized that the protection, development and promotion of biodiversity is also an important part of the project, adding that a Biodiversity Management Plan was prepared for the first time in Turkey and a biodiversity monitoring system was developed for all existing land uses in the Konya Closed Basin.

Stating that within the scope of the project, intensive beekeeping training was also provided to all farmers, including 2,200 hives, colonies and equipment, and women, Gutu said that farmers and shepherds provided various needs from deep submersible well pumps to tents, from stoves to solar water heating systems.

Gutu underlined that the project contributes to its sustainability by improving the management of forests, agricultural and pasture areas and integrating biodiversity into production areas to ensure food security.

Stating that 25 thousand hectares of pasture land, 60 thousand hectares of agricultural land and 41 thousand deteriorated forests were rehabilitated for this purpose, Gutu said:

"100 tons of Hungarian seeds were distributed to 250 farmers in order to reduce the pressure on pastures and to produce feed for animals. In addition, the sustainable management of 277 hectares of dry land forest was certified by the Forest Management Board (FSC) for the first time in Turkey. 35,000 certified walnut and almond saplings have been planted and will be allocated to provide income to farmers."

More than 900 farmers attended these schools to learn about sustainable land management, Gutu said.

"Among these participants were 115 women farmers, who contributed to increased visibility of women in these areas. 40 women cooperative members were trained on cooperative business models, decision making, sales and marketing, production and packaging, and women-led cooperatives received support from the project. I sincerely believe that the results of the project will contribute to Turkey's fight against climate change, the protection of biodiversity, the provision of food security and the sustainable management of forests."

- "One of the exemplary projects in Turkey"

Nurettin Taş, General Director of Combating Desertification and Erosion of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, drew attention to the studies carried out within the scope of the project and the grants given, and noted that the project they have been carrying out since 2015 is one of the exemplary projects in Turkey in terms of both the studies on the land and awareness-raising.

Ali Kılıç Özbek, Head of the Department of Agricultural Environment and Natural Resources Protection of the General Directorate of Agrarian Reform, touched on the importance of climate-friendly agriculture and said that studies on climate-friendly machines were carried out in Konya and the pasture improvement project was carried out by Bahri Dağdaş International Agricultural Research Institute Directorate.

Kenan Akduman, Deputy Director of the General Directorate of Forestry (GDF), explained what measures the GDF has taken to reduce the negative effects of climate change. FAO