THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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International Crisis Research Centre (USKAM) researcher Assoc. Professor Dr. Uğur Karadurmuş stated that fresh water resources in Türkiye are facing a serious threat of pollution and stressed that industrial wastes, agricultural pesticides, chemicals and domestic wastes are mixed into water resources and deteriorate the quality of water.
Karadurmuş underlined that surging population, unplanned urbanisation and inadequate infrastructure increase the risk of pollution by making sustainable management of water difficult. Emphasising that water pollution is not only an environmental issue, Karadurmuş also stated that this situation threatens human health and causes serious problems in agriculture and industry.
TÜRKİYE’S WATER RESOURCES UNDER THREAT…
Despite its geographical diversity, Türkiye stands out as a country with limited resources in terms of fresh water capacity. Annual per capita water consumption is over 1,500 cubic metres and more than 70 percent of the available water resources are used in the agricultural sector.
However, agricultural irrigation, industry and urbanisation threaten the sustainability of water resources, while increasing consumption and food demand put additional pressure on resources. Emphasizing that rivers such as Ergene, Büyük Menderes and Nilüfer have turned into toxic waterways due to industrial, urban and agricultural wastes, Karadurmuş said that water pollution has reached the 4th degree, which is the highest level in some regions.
“Long-term sustainable management strategies for the protection of freshwater resources should be established and it is vital to share these strategies with all segments of the society,” Karadurmuş said.
Finally, Karadurmuş added that the protection of water resources is a necessity not only for environmental but also for economic and social sustainability and highlighted that urgent action should be taken against the water crisis…
