Country representatives observe FAO best practices on Turkish farms

Permanent Representatives to Rome-based United Nations agencies from seven member countries participated in a three-day field visit to Turkey to observe and analyze outcomes of FAO farm training and discuss possible future collaboration in the area.

The mission started with a visit to Konya Closed Basin to witness key achievements from a sustainable land management and climate-friendly agriculture project. Representatives met with participants in the Farmer Field School and had the chance to exchange views on the value added by the FAO project.

Local female farmer Emine Akkaş said that as a result of FAO training they were able to have productive corn crop yields. “The fertility problem in the fields of Karapınar district have drastically improved due to irrigation. The corn was planted in dry fields but now they are even taller than me.”

“I was impressed to see that ratio of women and men in the fields are equal,” said Renate Hahlen of the European Union “There is also a gender balance regarding the participation in the trainings. What we see from the biogas, irrigation, and land use trainings is very inspiring.”

The FAO delegation, comprised of representatives from Bangladesh, Brazil, Eritrea, European Union, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and United States of America along with FAO representatives, visited high-ranking Turkish officials in Ankara to discuss possible areas of future collaboration. The mission also met with key donors and United Nations Country Team members with the aim of analyzing the situation in Turkey and identifying possible areas of improvement.

The Permanent Representative from Bangladesh Abdus Sobhan Sikder praised the program’s results. “It is very pleasing to see that FAO’s trainings and other projects are successfully implemented. We witnessed here the correct use of soil, irrigation, planting and efficient harvesting practices in this country. Agricultural practices in Turkey shall be used by other countries in the region.”

The mission concludes today with a second field visit to Şanlıurfa to observe the Syrian refugee response programme and the conservation and sustainable management of Turkey’s steppe project.

24 September 2019, Ankara, Turkey