THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Hydrobiology Department Lecturer Professor Dr. Okan Külköylüoğlu said that 70 percent of the fresh water amount is used in agricultural irrigation.
Dr. Okan Külköylüoğlu said, “As a country, we have to make a serious saving in order not to fall into water shortage, we are at the border right now.”
Dr. Külköylüoğlu stated that the amount of fresh water in the world is limited in the panel on “Climate change and drought” organized online by Trakya University Young Theme and Outdoor Sports Society.
Pointing out that water is the source of life, Külköylüoğlu noted, “Water is the building block of living beings. No matter how much water a plant needs, the human needs it in the same way and there is no life without water.”
Külköylüoğlu indicated that water scarcity is not a problem that concerns a few countries, but the whole world.
Pointing out that the majority of fresh water reserves are used for irrigation, Külköylüoğlu explained:
“We use water mostly to irrigate the land, that is, for agricultural purposes. Approximately 70 percent of the water used goes to agricultural irrigation. 22 percent of it is used for production and energy. The remaining 8 percent is drinking water and in houses. We use it for our needs. Unfortunately, our water is getting less and less.”
“Saving is essential”
Dr. Külköylüoğlu also reminded that the amount of annual water use per capita has been reducing.
Emphasizing that water should be used economically in order to avoid water poverty, Dr. Külköylüoğlu continued as follows:
“In countries with water scarcity, the annual per capita usage is between 500-1000 cubic meters, in countries with water stress between 1000 and 1700 cubic meters and countries with sufficient water are over 1700 cubic meters. As a country, we have to make a serious saving in order not to fall into water shortage, we are at the border right now. As of 2019 annual water utilization per capita is 1365 cubic meters in Turkey.”
