Worrying statement from Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Yumaklı: 'If we don't take any measures, in 6 years...'

The May 2024 regular meeting of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) Assembly was held at the Odakule Fazıl Zobu Assembly Hall with the main agenda of 'Increasing the Integration Between Agriculture and Industry with a Visionary Perspective; Evaluating the More Effective and Efficient Contribution of Agricultural Industry to Our Economy.'

The meeting began with the opening speech of ISO Board Chairman Erdal Bahçıvan. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı also attended the meeting.

The “ISO Climate Change and Water Management: Industrial Sector Report”, prepared by the ISO, was also launched at the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Yumaklı stated, “Distinguished participants, it has been said, but let us repeat: agriculture and industry are two inseparable parts of a whole, like flesh and nail. Therefore, the integration of these two sectors actually forms the foundations of your success in both agricultural production and industry. Today, if we look at the world, we are actually talking about the difference between countries that have achieved this integration and those that have not. Of course, where has our country's agriculture come in the last 22 years with the contributions of the industrial sector? I want to explain this with a few data points. In this process, 15 laws and their secondary legislation have been enacted in accordance with international standards to increase the competitiveness of the sector. To encourage our farmers to produce, the amount of support provided at today's values is 1.6 trillion. The amount of land taken out of agricultural use has also decreased significantly during this process. I would like to state that 93 million decares of 442 large plains have been placed under protection. Organic farming and good agricultural practices were also supported during this process. Rural development investments continued to strengthen the integration of agriculture and industry, and approximately 95 billion liras in today's figures were allocated to 93 thousand projects. In order to encourage investments in the coming period, we have increased the project limit for economic investments by one hundred percent, raising it from 7 million to 14 million liras. The Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution is a co-financing between the European Union and the Republic of Turkey. We have expanded it to all 81 of our provinces. The budget figure for the third period call is 785 million euros.”

''WE ARE A COUNTRY UNDER WATER STRESS''

Drawing attention to the importance of water in his speech, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı said, “We are a country in the Mediterranean basin. We are among the countries most affected and that will be affected by climate change. And the most important material for our life that will be affected is water. With population growth, our need for production in every field will also increase, so you represent a group that realizes this reality the most, and I truly thank the Istanbul Chamber of Industry management for bringing such a valuable study to the agenda of the Turkish public. In 2023, 57 billion cubic meters of our country's existing water resources were used. The speakers already mentioned which sectors this was used in proportionally. The professor also mentioned the sectors most dependent on water in industry, but I will say it anyway. 22 percent in food, 18 percent in the textile sector. We talk about the importance of our water resources. Let us repeat it once more. Countries measure their positions regarding water by the potential they possess. If you have a usable water potential of over 1,700 cubic meters per capita, you are a water-rich country. If you are between 1,700 and 1,000 cubic meters, you are a country under water stress. When you fall below 1,000 cubic meters, you are a water-poor country. Let's define it roughly like this. According to our records, Turkey has 1,313 cubic meters of water. With 1,313 cubic meters, that is, between one thousand and one thousand seven hundred, we are closer to one thousand. We are a country under water stress. If we don't take any measures and don't change our habits, thinking 'what could happen,' we will enter the category of water-poor countries in just six years.”

News Source: İHA