THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
Related Articles
Press release…
With climate change and deforestation increasingly threatening global forests, the side event provided an opportunity for participants to discover the activities and achievements of the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme…
28 October 2025, Istanbul – The achievements and collaborative spirit of the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP) were the focus of a special side event, “Partnership Talks: Forests through the prism of the FAO- Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme”, held on 22 October 2025. The event took place on the margins of the Istanbul Forest Innovation Week 2025.
Organized as part of the Visibility Project’s activities, the event served as a key platform to promote the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programmes (FTPP) in general, and the Forestry Partnership (FTFP) in particular, within global forums.
At a time when climate change and other pressing issues such as deforestation increasingly threaten global forests, the side event provided a timely opportunity for audiences to discover the concrete activities and successes of the FTFP. The session also fostered valuable dialogue, offering a chance to hear perspectives from high-level representatives of partner institutions.
The panel featured a diverse range of experts from FAO and partner institutions. FAO experts presented the on-the-ground results of the FTFP: İffet Deniz Cengiz shared insights on improving biodiversity and sustainable forest management; Burak Avcıoğlu detailed the FRIENDS project, which focuses on forest restoration and environmental development in Azerbaijan and Central Asia and Hülya Kılıç Hernandez shared the institutional story of the International Forestry Training Centre (IFTC) and its role in capacity building.
The discussion also featured high-level perspectives from key partners. Mustafa Bulut, Head of the Water and Forest Department at the Presidency of Strategy and Budget, highlighted Türkiye’s 2053 net-zero emission target, calling forests “our strongest natural ally” in combating climate change. İsmail Belen, Chair of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Bureau, provided an experienced voice from the field.
Finally, Umay Gökçe Özkan, International Technical Organizations Working Group Coordinator at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, provided a general framework of the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programmes, noting their growth which now encompasses 48 projects with USD 30 million in funding.
Launched in 2014, the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP) strengthens the capacities of countries in the subregion and beyond by drawing on Türkiye’s and FAO’s shared technical expertise in sustainable forest management, natural resources and combating desertification…
