Farmer Mohammed Kabak in the Soke region of Turkey, as one of the leading cotton farmers, has changed his cropping pattern and turned to planting wheat and sunflowers. This decision was made due to the lower water needs and reduced production costs of these crops.
Agricultural Challenges in Turkey
Currently, farmers in Soke and other regions of Turkey are facing serious challenges due to drought and rising costs. The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture has announced that the country was recognized as the eighth largest cotton producer in the world in 2023, but cotton production is expected to decline to 1.2 million tons by 2026.
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Mohammed Kabak, who has 900 decares of farmland, has stated that irrigation costs have risen sharply and government support has not kept pace with this increase. He says: "Our input costs have consistently increased by 40 to 60 percent, while our yields have been affected."
The Necessity of Adaptation and Financial Support
Climate change and high costs have led farmers in the Soke region to reduce about 60 percent of their cotton-planted land. More than 30 farmers and various organizations have stated that they need more technical and financial support. Aysgul Selisik, a representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Turkey, emphasized that "adaptation is no longer optional for farmers; it is costly, and many are paying for it themselves today."
Despite the challenges, the Turkish government has allocated 174 billion lira (about 3.5 billion dollars) in its budget for next year for investment in agricultural irrigation. Additionally, private banks like İşbank and Şekerbank have launched programs to provide financial facilities to farmers to improve water management and adapt to climate change.
However, farmers are facing difficulties due to lack of access to collateral and inability to repay loans. Liam Chika, the country director in Turkey for the International Fund for Agricultural Development, stated that "many farmers have to prepay costs and then receive repayment if conditions are met, which is very difficult for them."
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