The "Drought Masters" Project met with young farmers

The training content developed as part of the "Drought Masters" project of the TEMA Foundation, implemented to promote drought-resistant agricultural practices, was introduced to young farmers in Konya. Combining ancient knowledge with modern agricultural approaches, the training aims to help farmers adapt to climate change and increase climate resilience and production capacity in agriculture.

Approximately 80 farmers were gathered during 3-day training held in the districts of Ereğli, Beyşehir, and Karapınar. The participation of female farmers in the training showcased the contribution of women to climate resilience in rural areas.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Hikmet Öztürk, Deputy General Manager of the TEMA Foundation, emphasized that the climate crisis will increase the frequency and severity of droughts in the project area. He expressed that drought is one of the greatest threats to agricultural production, noting that the local population has gained valuable experience from past droughts. He added that the knowledge and production practices gained during these periods, combined with current science, will guide us in combating drought.

As part of the training, Dr. Fatih Özden from the Department of Agricultural Economics at Ege University covered the ecological, economic, and social problems faced in today's industrial agricultural system, explaining how agroecology offers a solution to these problems. Prof. Dr. Erhan Akça, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Adıyaman University, shared with farmers methods be applied to sustain agricultural production in drought conditions.

Drought-resistant agricultural production methods will be disseminated via online training

As part of the project, traditional drought-resistant methods and important information have been documented through interviews with experienced farmers over the age of 70. This information is communicated to young farmers aged 20-40 through face-to-face training. In later stages, the aim is to expand this training to a wider audience through an online platform. Furthermore, the farmers' long-standing experience in growing various crops will be documented and disseminated through documentaries.

The training content developed includes topics such as the importance of agroecology, historical water retention methods, drought-resistant seeds, and increasing soil organic matter. It also encompasses examples of best practices from regions with similar climates around the world.

The project is supported by the EU and the Republic of Türkiye

The Drought Masters Project is implemented as part of the Climate Change Adaptation Grant Scheme, jointly funded by the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Türkiye. Covering the Karapınar, Ereğli, and Beyşehir districts of Konya province, the project aims to develop climate change-resilient production models by transferring centuries-old traditional agricultural knowledge to young farmers.

The project was launched at a press conference held in Konya last year. Ms. Deniz Ataç, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the TEMA Foundation; Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, former Head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye, and experienced farmers from the region were among the participants. Delivering a speech at the meeting, Ms. Ataç emphasized that the project would play a significant role in Anatolia's fight against drought. Meyer-Landrut stated that agriculture is both one of the areas most affected by climate change and one that can contribute to it, underlining the critical the project plays for the purposes of sustainability.

With the Drought Masters Project, the TEMA Foundation aims to both promote environmentally friendly agricultural practices and support rural production that is more resilient to the climate crisis.

“This press release has been prepared with the financial support of the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye. Its content is the sole responsibility of the TEMA Foundation. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the Republic of Türkiye.”