May 14, 2025
The decisions included in the Final Declaration of the Fourth Agriculture and Forestry Council were announced by our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Accordingly, the Council’s Final Statement consisted of the following decisions:
In agricultural production planning, the strategic product list for crop production, livestock production, and aquaculture production should be expanded and continued to be implemented.
New strategies should be determined to increase exports by converting products with high competitive strength in crop product foreign trade and surplus products into value-added products.
Legislation and infrastructure arrangements should be made to ensure that only the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for protecting pastures and preventing encroachment, and projects should be implemented with new perspectives in line with current developments such as climate change for pasture improvement.
“Agriculture-Focused Technology Development Zones” and “R&D Centers” should be established and developed, and product-based clustering in the agricultural industry should be encouraged.
The production and licensing processes for plant protection products should be improved, biological and biotechnical control methods should be widespread, the licensing of biological plant protection preparations should be encouraged and facilitated, plant protection products banned internationally should also be banned in our country by following international developments, and the licenses of plant protection products with very low MRL values should be reviewed.
The use of agricultural land should be activated, secondary legislation related to inheritance law should be developed urgently, land banking and integrated production systems should be developed, and land use plans should be prepared and implemented.
Regulations should be made regarding “Urban Agriculture” and vertical farming, and a system should be established in which the Ministry and local administrations cooperate to use idle agricultural land in city centers for urban agriculture.
“Organized Agricultural Regions” should be increased and developed, and new regions should be created for soilless cultivation in areas with high geothermal potential.
The effectiveness of producer organizations should be increased, and regulations should be implemented to ensure they are involved in the entire process from production to delivery to the consumer.
Basin-based support should be determined based on agricultural potential rather than administrative boundaries
Other financial institutions should be included in the system to create competition in support payments
Land banking systems and financial mechanisms should be developed to increase the scale of small businesses and ensure parcel integrity
Nomadic livestock operations should be monitored, and systems and support models for their registration should be developed
The legal framework for the protection of biodiversity should be completed
Marine and coastal biodiversity should be addressed and promoted in terms of biodiversity
Genetic resources should be protected, their sustainable use ensured, and their inventory developed through increased inter-institutional cooperation.
An AI-supported monitoring and evaluation system should be established for sustainable forest management, and satellite data and AI-supported ecosystem monitoring networks should be expanded.
A roadmap focused on sustainable raw material supply and strategic product development should be created for the forest products sector, and an action plan should be prepared for scrap wood management.
Integrated Pest Management and biological control applications should be developed to combat organisms that cause damage in our forests, and biological control laboratories should be strengthened.
Efforts should be strengthened across land use in Turkey in line with the climate-neutral goal, and agroforestry practices should be promoted
The carbon sink capacity of pastures and forests should be increased
Forest ecosystems should be made resilient to climate change, fire risk assessment and early warning systems should be developed, legislation on fires should be updated, and distribution models should be created for species that are resilient to climate change
Geopolitical changes, global crises, and wars should be evaluated for the opportunities and threats they may pose to food prices and supply, and measures should be taken against the potential threats these conditions pose to our country’s food system
Within the framework of the One Health approach, multidisciplinary and effective measures should be taken to prevent antibiotic and pesticide residues in food; legislation and infrastructure work should be carried out for national One Health policies and strategies; a “National One Health Coordination Council” should be established with the participation of relevant stakeholders; and One Health education programs should be disseminated
Food safety awareness among producers and consumers should be increased; effective measures should be taken against misinformation.
Management strategies should be developed through cooperation between agricultural organizations and institutions to prevent food loss and waste; food preservation methods should be developed; food banking should be supported; producers and consumers should be informed about the prevention of food loss and waste.
Legislation should be harmonized to enable the development and spread of industrial biotechnological applications in our country, and an incentive system should be created to reduce dependence on foreign countries by increasing domestic production.
Policies should be developed to reduce dependence on global and centralized supply chains by developing local and short supply chains due to the climate crisis, disasters, wars, and epidemics.
To meet the need for qualified labor in livestock operations, social security opportunities should be provided for shepherding, professional qualifications should be determined, and “Shepherd Academies” and applied training centers should be established.
Breeds that are resistant to animal diseases, highly adaptable, and highly productive should be supported and promoted.
The share of small ruminant livestock in total red meat production should be increased to 35%, and support and programs should be implemented in this context.
Domestic production in animal husbandry should be strengthened in terms of both quantity and quality, and domestic animal breeds should be protected.
Digital exchange and blockchain-based producer-consumer direct sales systems should be activated in animal product markets.
Efforts to align the agricultural sector with the “European Green Deal” should be increased.
Agricultural production and land use planning should be strengthened, soil survey mapping studies should be completed, and a digital database (Soil Information System) should be created.
Minimum tillage techniques should be promoted, the carbon sequestration capacity of the soil should be increased, and plant and animal waste should be evaluated for organic fertilizer production
Early warning systems should be established against drought and extreme weather events, and a digital agricultural drought monitoring system should be developed
The identification, development, and use of plant varieties, species, and animal breeds that are resistant to the expected effects of climate change (drought, precipitation and temperature changes, diseases, etc.) should be ensured
The use of renewable energy in the agricultural sector should be increased, and green growth strategies should be developed
Rural areas should be prioritized and supported through support and grant programs, taking into account their socio-economic structures, geographical locations, and distances from urban centers
Services such as healthcare, education, transportation, communication, and social and cultural opportunities should be improved to enhance sustainable living conditions in rural areas.
Women and young farmers working in rural areas and the agricultural sector should be covered by social security with state support.
Relevant legislation should be revised to enable agricultural organizations to be more effective and sustainable in the agricultural sector.
Inter-institutional coordination in agricultural and rural development policies should be ensured under the coordination of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and a holistic approach should be adopted to ensure more efficient use of resources.
The public administration structure of the fisheries and aquaculture sector should be strengthened, and tasks related to aquatic products should be consolidated under a single umbrella by removing them from different institutions and units.
A strong production, processing, and marketing structure should be established in the aquaculture sector; planned and balanced development based on sustainability should be encouraged in fishing and farming activities.
Aquaculture stocks should be managed with a balance between conservation and use; fishing activities outside national waters should be strengthened, and a separate “Aquaculture Protection Office” structure should be established to increase the effectiveness of control and inspection activities
Fishing shelters should be improved and the management structure of these areas should be strengthened
The legal framework for the “Water Law” and “Flood Law” must be completed
The authority, duties, and responsibilities of water-related institutions and organizations must be reviewed; water management must be centralized and integrated
Alternative water sources such as rainwater harvesting, gray water, and treated wastewater must be evaluated, and the relevant legal framework must be developed
Water conservation and efficiency should be increased, reducing daily per capita water consumption from 150 liters to 120 liters by 2030
Open canal irrigation systems should be converted to closed pressurized systems, and irrigation efficiency should be increased to 60% by 2030
Forecasting and early warning systems for extreme weather events such as floods and droughts should be established and disseminated in 25 basins, along with “Drought Decision Support Systems.”
Sectoral water allocation studies should be completed nationwide, and their monitoring and updating should be ensured.
A “Dryland Landscape Strategy Document” should be prepared at the national level, the use of plant species that consume less water and are drought-resistant in landscape areas should be widespread, dryland landscape areas should be increased, and legal regulations limiting water consumption for landscape projects should be introduced
A “National Flood Forecasting and Early Warning System” should be established and effectively managed throughout all river basins
Water losses in drinking water networks should be reduced from 32% to 25% by 2030
Groundwater reserves should be protected, and water use efficiency should be increased
A cluster model should be encouraged in the agriculture-industry-logistics triangle, bringing together stakeholders in the agriculture-food value chain.
To offer safer and more sustainable logistics solutions for agricultural food products, dependence on road transport should be reduced, and rail and sea transport, which have a lower carbon footprint, should be promoted.
Agriculture-based industrial facilities should be located in suitable industrial zones close to agricultural production areas; facilities that have lost their strategic importance should be redirected to appropriate areas
Based on the experiences of the pandemic and disasters, contingency plans should be prepared to ensure the supply of critical products through domestic production.
By conducting the necessary research on a regional and product basis, underground storage facilities, unused mines, and other natural cold storage facilities should be utilized.
To strengthen the integration of agriculture and industry, integration with “Organized Agricultural Regions” and “Logistics Centers” should be ensured, marketing processes should be brought under one roof, and land unsuitable for agriculture should be used for industrial and logistics purposes
Agricultural-industrial integration should be increased and the cooperative structure should be developed for continuity, and the activities of agricultural sales cooperatives and unions should be activated within this scope.
The spread of wireless network technologies, broadband, and mobile network technologies in rural areas should be increased, and the telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas should be strengthened.
An “Agricultural Observation Satellite Network” should be implemented, and artificial intelligence-supported prediction and monitoring systems for agricultural production should be developed.
A research institute should be appointed to conduct and coordinate research on digital agriculture, artificial intelligence, and advanced agricultural technologies.
A “National Digital Agriculture Data Bank” should be established and strengthened, a national strategy document should be prepared for agricultural remote sensing and imaging technologies, and an “Agricultural Blockchain Infrastructure” should be launched.
The educational infrastructure for digital agriculture in agricultural enterprises should be improved, and digital agriculture literacy training programs should be organized for farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
Within the scope of the widespread adoption of digital agriculture, national and international alternative financing incentives, grants, and infrastructures should be strengthened and their effective use should be ensured.
New generation financial instruments should be designed, purchase guarantee models, tax incentives, insurance support, and investment loans should be examined, and the “Agricultural Finance R&D Unit” should be institutionalized and turned into a center that guides national agricultural financing strategies
A “Farmer Guarantee Fund” and a “Cooperative Financing Fund” specific to the agricultural sector should be established, and agricultural sub-components should be added to existing funds.
A traceable control system should be established for geographically marked products, and the benefits provided by geographical indications should be increased.
A “Digital Market System” should be established for fruit and vegetables, dry foods, meat, and meat products.
Preliminary work should be done to develop green financing tools, credit access for farmers engaged in green production should be increased, and green logistics should be encouraged
The legal and institutional infrastructure and financial mechanisms for establishing an “Emergency Agricultural Disaster Relief Risk Fund” should be created, and management and business processes should be developed
The use of satellite technologies and artificial intelligence in the agricultural insurance system should be developed, and financial instruments should be developed to reduce the impact of disasters on agriculture.
The production planning model should be harmonized with TARSIM processes.
Professional standards in the agricultural sector should be clarified and the definition of farmer should be redefined; the professional knowledge of those involved in agriculture should be increased; the link between education, publication, and consultancy should be strengthened and diversified; agricultural consultancy resources should be diversified; and legislation should be prepared to include farming within the scope of professional competence.
Land consolidation efforts should continue.
The number of trained professionals in the field of agricultural diplomacy should be increased, and Turkey’s representation in international organizations should be strengthened.
The brand image of Turkish agricultural products should be strengthened, certified products should be increased, and the overseas organization of exporters should be supported.
Within the framework of the reassessment of the Customs Union, the regime for trade in agricultural products should be revised, the roadmap for alignment with the EU Common Agricultural Policy should be updated, and the process should be accelerated
Regional and international agricultural diplomacy platforms should be established under Turkey’s leadership and based in Turkey
