Sustainable production: How to ensure nutritious diets at an affordable price?

According to the CAP (Common Agriculture Policy), signed in the early 1960’s, it’s aimed that all States within the consortium should maintain reasonable and affordable prices for consumers, through mechanisms of intervention on the markets of agricultural commodities.
The need of rising demand to the nutritious food day by day at national level has enabled the Turkish authorities active in the field of sustainable agriculture to launch a National Agriculture Project which the government lets the farmers to grow just some certain crops. The other aim of this action is to promote the development of strong local and regional markets.
On behalf of improving the conditions of sustainable and nutritious farming, basin-based production will be supported in agriculture. In relation to the subject, certain products and the best places to grow them were determined in 941 basins in Turkey. Strategically, 19 products were identified. After identifying the basins in which these products would be produced in a better and cheaper way, the Agriculture Ministry established basin supports. Everyone will plant in accordance with their basins, not their own wishes.

A 23 percent discount was made in the fertilizer that increases the cost in agriculture. Farmers will pay half of the gas they use while the other half will be provided by the government.

One-hundred-and-eighty-four plains will be declared as protected areas. Seven million hectares of land will be aggregated. Aggregation and irrigation will be collected under the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry. Currently, aggregation and irrigation are run under different ministries. This situation causes lands to be divided.

Support will be given twice a year, first during seed-time and later during harvest. Farmers will make only one application in the first year. The first support will be given during the April-May period while the second support will be given during the September-October period. There will be no additional support apart from the aforementioned dates. The amount of money currently given to the farmers and livestock exceeds TL 13 quadrillion; however, the support given in pieces over a 12-month period remain insufficient.
Finally, Turkey, having had a good cooperation with FAO since the approval of its membership in 1948, still continues to keep the following three priorities on agenda in an attempt to ensure nutritious diets at an affordable price;
- Food security and food safety
- Sustainable use of natural resources and raising awareness on climate change impacts
- Institutional capacity enhancement