News / Announcement

THE FINAL DECLARATION OF THE 4TH AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY COUNCIL IS ANNOUNCED

The conclusions included in the Final Declaration of the 4th Agriculture and Forestry Council was announced by the President of the Republic of Türkiye, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Accordingly, the Council’s Final Declaration covers the following conclusions:

1. In agricultural production planning, the strategic product list for crop production, livestock farming, and aquaculture should be expanded and continued in implementation.
2. New strategies should be developed to enhance exports by converting high-competition and surplus crop products into value-added goods.
3. Legislative and infrastructural reforms should be introduced to ensure the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is solely responsible for pastureland protection and preventing occupation of them for other purposes. Projects for pasture rehabilitation should incorporate new perspectives aligned with current developments such as climate change.
4. “Agriculture-Focused Technology Development Zones” and “R&D Centres” should be established and expanded. Product-based clustering in the agricultural industry should be promoted.
5. The production and licensing processes for plant protection products should be improved. Biological and biotechnical control methods should be promoted, and the licensing of biological plant protection preparations should be encouraged and facilitated. Products banned internationally should also be banned in Türkiye. Licences for products with very low MRL values should be re-evaluated.
6. Agricultural land use should be made more efficient. Secondary legislation on inheritance law should be finalised without delay. Land banking and integrated production systems should be developed. Land use plans should be prepared and implemented.
7. Regulations should be introduced for “Urban Agriculture” and vertical farming. A system involving cooperation between the Ministry and local authorities should be established to utilise idle agricultural lands within urban centres.
8. The number and capacity of “Organised Agricultural Zones” should be increased. In areas with strong geothermal potential, new soil-free cultivation zones should be created.
9. The effectiveness of producer organisations should be enhanced, and they should be empowered to operate throughout the entire supply chain from production to consumption.
10. Basin-based support should be determined according to agricultural potential rather than administrative boundaries.
11. Other financial institutions should be included in the support payment system to foster competition.
12. Land banking systems and financial mechanisms should be developed to help small farms scale up and maintain parcel integrity.
13. Systems and support models should be developed to monitor and register nomadic livestock enterprises.
14. The legal infrastructure for biodiversity protection must be completed.
15. Marine and coastal biodiversity should be addressed and prioritised within biodiversity policies.
16. Genetic resources should be conserved, their sustainable use ensured, and inter-institutional cooperation enhanced to improve inventory development.
17. An artificial intelligence-assisted monitoring and evaluation system should be established for sustainable forest management, with expanded satellite and AI-supported ecosystem monitoring networks.
18. A roadmap should be drawn up for sustainable raw material supply and strategic product development in the forestry sector. An action plan should be prepared for managing wood waste.
19. Integrated pest management and biological control methods should be developed to combat forest pests. Biological control laboratories should be strengthened.
20. Climate-neutral land use practices should be promoted across Türkiye, and agroforestry should be expanded.
21. The carbon sink capacity of pastures and forests should be increased.
22. Forest ecosystems should be made more resilient to climate change. Fire risk assessment and early warning systems should be developed. Relevant legislation should be updated, and distribution models for climate-resilient species should be created.
23. Geopolitical shifts, global crises, and wars should be assessed for both threats and opportunities in food supply and pricing. Measures should be taken to mitigate risks to Türkiye’s food system.
24. Under the “One Health” approach, a multidisciplinary and effective strategy should be implemented to prevent antibiotic and pesticide residues in food. Legal and infrastructural work should be carried out for a national One Health strategy, and a “National One Health Coordination Board” should be formed with stakeholder participation. One Health education programmes should be expanded.
25. Food safety awareness should be raised among producers and consumers, and misinformation should be combated effectively.
26. Strategies to prevent food loss and waste should be developed through collaboration between agricultural organisations and institutions. Food preservation methods should be improved, food banking supported, and producers and consumers informed about preventing food loss and waste.
27. Legislation should be harmonised to support the development and expansion of industrial biotechnology. Domestic production should be increased, and incentives should be established to reduce foreign dependency.
28. To reduce dependency on global, centralised supply chains, local and short supply chains should be strengthened in response to the climate crisis, disasters, wars, and pandemics.
29. Social security coverage should be provided for shepherds, and their professional competencies defined. “Shepherd Academies” and hands-on training centres should be established to meet the skilled labour needs of livestock farms.
30. Livestock breeds that are disease-resistant, highly adaptive, and highly productive should be supported and promoted.
31. The share of small ruminants in total red meat production should be increased to 35%, and relevant support programmes implemented.
32. Domestic animal production should be strengthened in both quantity and quality, and local breeds preserved.
33. Blockchain-based and digital market platforms for direct producer-consumer sales in animal product markets should be activated.
34. The alignment of the agriculture sector with the “European Green Deal” should be accelerated.
35. Agricultural production and land use planning should be enhanced, and a digital Soil Information System established upon completion of soil survey and mapping.
36. Minimum tillage techniques should be promoted, soil carbon sequestration improved, and organic fertiliser production supported by utilising plant and animal waste.
37. Early warning systems should be established against drought and extreme weather events. A digital agricultural drought monitoring system should be developed.
38. Plant varieties and animal breeds resistant to anticipated effects of climate change (drought, precipitation and temperature changes, diseases, etc.) should be identified, developed, and promoted.
39. Renewable energy use in agriculture should be increased, and green growth strategies developed.
40. Rural areas should be prioritised for support and grant programmes, taking into account their socio-economic structures, geographical characteristics, and distance to urban centres.
41. Services such as healthcare, education, transportation, communication, and social and cultural amenities should be improved to enhance living conditions in rural areas.
42. Women and young farmers working in rural areas and the agricultural sector should be included in social security systems with state support.
43. Legislation should be revised to ensure agricultural organisations are more effective and sustainable in the sector.
44. Institutional coordination in agricultural and rural development policies should be ensured under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, adopting a holistic approach for efficient resource use.
45. The public administration structure of the fisheries and aquaculture sector should be strengthened. Responsibilities concerning aquaculture should be unified under a single authority.
46. A robust production, processing, and marketing structure should be established in the aquaculture sector. Sustainable, planned, and balanced development in fishing and aquaculture should be promoted.
47. Fisheries stock management should ensure a balance between conservation and utilisation. Overseas fishing activities should be enhanced. A separate “Fisheries Protection Authority” should be established to improve inspection and enforcement.
48. Fishermen’s shelters should be improved, and their management structures strengthened.
49. The legislative frameworks for a “Water Law” and “Flood Law” should be completed.
50. The roles and responsibilities of water-related institutions should be reviewed, and water governance should be made centralised and integrated.
51. Alternative water sources such as rainwater harvesting, greywater, and treated wastewater should be utilised. Relevant legal infrastructure should be developed.
52. Water savings and efficiency should be increased, aiming to reduce per capita daily water use from 150 litres to 120 litres by 2030.
53. Open canal irrigation systems should be converted into closed-pressurised systems. Irrigation efficiency should reach 60% by 2030.
54. Forecasting and early warning systems should be implemented against extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. “Drought Decision Support Systems” should be established and expanded in 25 basins.
55. Sectoral water allocation studies should be completed nationwide, and their monitoring and updates ensured.
56. A “National Xeriscaping Strategy Document” should be developed. The use of drought-resistant and low-water-consuming plants should be promoted. Xeriscaping areas should be expanded, and water use limits established for landscaping projects.
57. A “National Flood Forecasting and Early Warning System” should be established and managed effectively across all river basins.
58. Drinking water network losses should be reduced from 32% to 25% by 2030.
59. Groundwater reserves should be preserved, and water use efficiency improved.
60. A clustering model should be promoted that brings together stakeholders in the agriculture-food value chain within the agriculture-industry-logistics triangle.
61. To ensure safer and more sustainable logistics for agri-food products, dependence on road transport should be reduced in favour of rail and maritime transport with lower carbon footprints.
62. Agri-based industrial facilities should be located in suitable industrial zones near production areas. Facilities that have lost strategic significance should be relocated accordingly.
63. Drawing lessons from pandemic and disaster experiences, emergency plans should be prepared to ensure supply of critical goods through domestic production.
64. Regional and product-specific studies should be conducted to utilise underground depots, unused mining sites, and other natural cold storage facilities.
65. Integration between agri-industry facilities, “Organised Agricultural Zones”, and “Logistics Centres” should be ensured. Marketing processes should be consolidated under a single structure. Non-arable lands should be allocated for industrial and logistics use.
66. Agri-industry integration should be strengthened. The cooperative model should be developed to ensure sustainability. The effectiveness of agricultural sales cooperatives and unions should be enhanced within this framework.
67. Wireless, broadband, and mobile network coverage in rural areas should be expanded, and the telecommunications infrastructure strengthened.
68. An “Agricultural Observation Satellite Network” should be established. AI-supported forecasting and monitoring systems should be developed for agricultural production.
69. A research institute should be designated to conduct and coordinate research in digital agriculture, AI, and advanced agricultural technologies.
70. A “National Digital Agriculture Data Bank” should be established and strengthened. A national strategy document should be prepared for remote sensing and imaging technologies. An “Agricultural Blockchain Infrastructure” should be launched.
71. The training infrastructure for digital agriculture in farms should be improved. Digital agriculture literacy programmes should be organised for farmers and other sector stakeholders.
72. National and international alternative financing, grant, and infrastructure mechanisms should be promoted and utilised effectively to expand digital agriculture.
73. New-generation financial instruments should be designed. Guaranteed purchase models, tax incentives, insurance support, and investment loans should be studied. The “Agricultural Finance R&D Unit” should be institutionalised as a national policy centre.
74. Sector-specific “Farmer Guarantee Fund” and “Cooperative Finance Fund” mechanisms should be established. Agricultural components should be added to existing funds.
75. A traceable inspection system should be created for geographical indication products, and the benefits derived from these should be maximised.
76. Digital wholesale market systems should be introduced for produce such as fruits and vegetables, dry food, and meat products.
77. Preliminary work should be undertaken to develop green finance tools. Credit access for green producers should be expanded, and green logistics incentivised.
78. The legal and institutional infrastructure and financing mechanisms for establishing an “Agricultural Disaster Relief Risk Fund” should be put in place. Its management and operational processes should be developed.
79. Use of satellite technologies and artificial intelligence in agricultural insurance should be enhanced. Financial tools should be developed to mitigate the effects of disasters on agriculture.
80. Agricultural production planning and TARSİM (Agricultural Insurance Pool) processes should be harmonised.
81. Occupational standards for the agriculture sector should be clarified. The definition of a farmer should be revised. Professional knowledge of agricultural workers should be enhanced, and training, extension, and consultancy services diversified. Legislation should be introduced to formally recognise farming as a certified profession.
82. Land consolidation efforts should continue.
83. The number of professionals specialised in agricultural diplomacy should be increased, and Türkiye’s representation in international organisations should be strengthened.
84. The brand image of Turkish agricultural products should be enhanced. Certified products should be promoted, and exporters’ international organisation efforts should be supported.
85. Within the scope of Customs Union reform, the trade regime for agricultural products should be revised. The roadmap for alignment with the EU Common Agricultural Policy should be updated and its implementation accelerated.
86. Türkiye should take the lead in establishing regional and international agricultural diplomacy platforms based in the country.