How to Achieve Agricultural Transformation?

I know that there are many key factors to increase the agricultural output to ensure food safety and security in the world.

We have designed, coordinated, supervised and operationalized a state of the art innovation Centre in Turkey to increase the Competitiveness of the Turkish Tea Industry.

Today, the globalization, urbanization, new technologies, new services, new products, increasing mass production, increasing world population and changing human needs require a new innovative and agile approach to creating productivity, ensuring agricultural growth, providing market access, keeping biodiversity and increasing welfare for the society.

Establishing innovation centers to stimulate the innovative power of the agro-food industry through stimulating the visibility, connection, and collaboration between local and international companies, knowledge institutes and governments.

These centers will be responsible for the promotion of the agro-food industry in the region, country and globe with the various activities in investment, innovation, technology, value-added products, tourism, exports, marketing, promotion, sales and training by collaborating with the government, public institutions, farmers, manufacturers, R&D centers and individuals.

We have designed, coordinated and supervised TRAC as a state of the art innovation and competitiveness center in Turkey. This development project was financed by the EU. We are proud!

Clearly, we have to focus on and improve the following key elements to ensure food safety, achieve food security and easy access to improved nutrition.

Market access is a crucial parameter for farmers.

I have to say that agricultural transformation process must be realized by:

1. Reducing climate uncertainties and water scarcity with regional and national landcare programs;

2. Developing agro-industrial value chains and business models promoting the integration of smallholders and improving market access for smallholders;

3. Supporting farm tourism and family farming;

4. Increasing the R&D, innovation and entrepreneurship capability of the agro-food sector;

5. Increasing marketing, brand promotion, and visibility activities in the domestic and global markets;

6. Improving human resources and skills;

7. Providing easy access to financial funding and investment;

8. Investing in new technologies.

We have to perform financial supporting to smallholder families and increasing their skills, investments and market access.