THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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The 14th National Agricultural Students Congress (UTOK), hosted by Akdeniz University, brought the agricultural army together in Antalya this year with the theme of sustainable agriculture. The scientific production, environmental sensitivity and belief in agriculture of the youth were strongly felt at the congress, where more than 800 students from 30 different provinces participated.
Being a stakeholder in this congress as the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers (ZMO) Young Antalya team was a step that brought hope in terms of responsibility, representation and the future. The academic aspect of sustainable agriculture, its environmental dimension and sectoral applications were discussed in detail for three days. The solution proposals expressed in the declarations, the innovative approaches in the poster presentations and the exchange of information between the students revealed once again how conscious and productive the youth in agriculture are.
The congress, which also hosted leading companies in the sector, offered not only an academic ground for us young people, but also a career and networking area. The information shared by experienced names helped us to better understand the reflections of the theories we learned at university in the field. In this sense, I believe that UTOK also serves as a valuable bridge in strengthening sectoral ties.
The “Growtech on Campus” event held on the third day of the congress was a career meeting area for us students. We had the chance to meet one-on-one with more than 100 companies about internship and job opportunities. This interaction clearly revealed the agricultural sector’s need for young people and that young people are ready to take on this responsibility.
And of course Antalya… It has a special meaning for this congress to take place in this city, one of Türkiye’s agricultural capitals. With its greenhouse production, export-oriented modern practices, climate advantage and technological infrastructure, Antalya province offers a concrete example of how sustainable agriculture can be implemented. Seeing Antalya’s agricultural successes up close during this process was inspiring for us young people.
In conclusion, the 14th UTOK is not just a congress; it is a concrete indicator of the youth’s will to take ownership of agriculture. The greatest power that will ensure change, transformation and sustainability in agriculture is conscious and equipped young engineers. This congress has shown us once again that the future of agriculture is shaped by hope. On behalf of ZMO Young Antalya, I was honored to be a stakeholder in this great organization and to discuss the future together with my colleagues, shoulder to shoulder. I would like to thank all my friends, esteemed Faculty members and the sector for their efforts…
By Furkan Deveci,
Chair of the ZMO Young Antalya Province
