Rural agriculture program supports reverse migration

ANKARA

With the backing of the IPARD Program — co-financed by Türkiye and the European Union (EU) and managed by the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution (TKDK), the competent body under the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry — Turkish citizens living abroad have constructed 128 facilities, each with costs ranging from 33 to 277 million Turkish Liras ($1 million to $8.4 million).

Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı stated that the IPARD program, which provides important support to rural entrepreneurs, has attracted great interest.

He said that the program aims to diversify economic activities in rural areas, improve the quality of life of the rural population and prevent migration to cities by implementing investments at EU standards.

Yumaklı said that a total of 45.7 billion liras have been provided to entrepreneurs so far under the IPARD programs implemented since 2011 and that additional points are given in the project selection process to highlight the investments of women and young people.

“To date, 6,424 women and 13,645 young investors across Türkiye have benefited from IPARD support,” he added.

“As a result, 67 percent of EU rural development funding has gone to young investors and 30 percent to women investors.”

Yumaklı emphasized that in addition to rural entrepreneurs, Turkish citizens living abroad have also shown great interest in IPARD support, underlining that expatriate entrepreneurs are returning to Türkiye to invest.

“Reverse migration is encouraged, and modern facilities established in rural areas contribute significantly to agriculture and rural development of our country,” the minister said.

“Our citizens who come from abroad transfer their experience in the countries they come from to our country. To date, our citizens living abroad have invested in 33 provinces by combining their own capital with IPARD support. In this context, investments with a total cost of 277 million liras have been brought to our country and 700 people are employed in 128 facilities established with these investments."

IPARD, the EU’s pre-accession assistance for rural development program, focuses specifically on rural areas and agri-food sectors of countries in the process of joining the European Union.

The program, which has been implemented in 42 provinces so far in Türkiye, was extended to the whole country this year. Thus, entrepreneurs in 81 provinces were able to use IPARD funds for their investments in agri-food and rural development.

As a large increase in applications was expected, the national contribution rate was increased from 25 percent to 50 percent and the total budget of the IPARD III program for the years 2021-2027 was increased from 555 million to 785 million euros.

The program supported construction works, machinery and equipment, services and visibility expenses of enterprises producing milk, red meat, poultry meat and eggs. Additionally, during this period, new areas of support were introduced, including fodder plant breeding, vermicompost production, and seawater aquaculture.