The IOFS Program Manager Mrs. Makpal Bulatova and Dr. Shahlo Atabaeva met with the water law and policy department of the Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture on April 6, 2021, during their business trip to Ankara. The following topics were discussed: the ongoing projects of Turkey in water management for agriculture, the new technologies and legislation for water efficiency in agriculture, and application of relevant experience and scientific approach at the field level.
The head of the department spoke of the role of Turkey in water consumption in agriculture as well as its current challenges such as water scarcity, drainage, salinity, and water efficiency technologies. Nowadays Turkey is implementing a number of projects focused on increasing water productivity and introducing new technologies of water-saving, for example, sectorial water use, as well as using treated water for agricultural aims. The government of Turkey plans to increase irrigation efficiency up to 55% by 2024. Therefore, the department of the Water Law and Policy is now involved in the development of law that would control the water use in the country. For instance, 1.122 million m3 of water used for agricultural needs in Turkey.
The future possibility of cooperation, exchange of experience and sharing best practices were discussed, as well as the participation of the esteemed department in the upcoming event of the IOFS program of WM in agriculture. During the meeting the head of the department suggested the managers to meet with the Director-General of the DSI (State Hydraulic Works) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey, as the indicated department is responsible for research and implementation of scientific approaches in the agricultural sector.
The sides also discussed the possibility to share some research papers and participate in relevant events, as the department already has some experience in preparation reports especially in the Central Asian region. To follow up the above-mentioned recommendation, the IOFS team scheduled a meeting with DG of the DSI for the first half of April.
