THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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Press release…
Workshop participants enriched their knowledge of aquaculture and visited private aquaculture farms and research institutions…
22 June 2022, Antalya, Türkiye – Fisheries and aquaculture have made significant contributions to livelihoods, employment, food security and nutrition for decades. In 2018, 52 percent of fish available for human consumption came from aquaculture. Aquaculture is expected to grow and contribute to global fish production for years to come, with the private sector playing a key role. However, the fast growth of the aquaculture and fishery sector has highlighted the need for planning, regulations, political support, strong leadership and resource commitments.
In the light of these issues, a Regional Workshop and Study Visit on Planning and Policy Development to Increase Aquaculture Production in Central Asia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye was organized in Antalya and Isparta on 13–17 June. The five-day workshop represented a collaboration between Akdeniz University, the Aquaculture Producers Central Union of Türkiye (SUYMERBIR), FAO, the Isparta University of Applied Sciences, and the Mediterranean Fisheries Research, Production and Training Institute (MEDFRI). The workshop also forms part of a wider project entitled “Capacity Development for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Management in Central Asia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye (FISHCap)”, implemented under the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture.
Turgay Türkyılmaz, Deputy Director-General of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, spoke highly of the FISHCap project at the opening session of the workshop, noting that FISHCap clearly demonstrates Türkiye’s belief and approach in establishing regional cooperation in fisheries management. Faruk Coşkun, Head of SUYMERBIR, provided statistical information about the Union and presented its activities within the field of aquaculture both in Türkiye and abroad. Haydar Fersoy, Senior Fishery and Aquaculture Officer of FAO, emphasized that the aquaculture industry has experienced remarkable growth over the last decade, with annual development increasing at a rate of about 5.8 percent since 2010. However, he noted that promising expected mid-term growth is dependent on the ability of the aquaculture sector to develop and implement sector-led effective aquaculture plans and policies.
Following these opening remarks, workshop participants from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, attended sessions on planning and policy development in aquaculture, Türkiye’s experiences in aquaculture planning and policy development, and fish farm business planning. The workshop targeted in particular officers, fish farm managers and researchers involved in aquaculture planning, policy development and management, all of whom attended presentations on planning and policy development in aquaculture given by experts from different parts of the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The participants were also given an opportunity to chance to enrich their knowledge of aquaculture through study visits to private aquaculture and fisheries farms organized within the scope of the workshop. Lastly, the workshop integrated an event to mark the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022.
About the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programmes
The objectives of the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programmes are to provide support to ensure food security, rural poverty reduction and sustainable forest management; combat desertification; and preserve ecosystems in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and other countries of mutual interest.
Established in 2007, the first phase of the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP) has benefited from trust fund contributions totalling USD 10 million, financed by the Government of Türkiye and represented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. During the first phase of the programme, 28 projects were implemented in 16 countries between 2009 and 2015.
In 2014, Türkiye and FAO commenced the second phase of the FTPP along with the first phase of the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP), with additional funding of USD 20 million, bringing Türkiye’s total contribution to USD 30 million.
