THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE WORLD AND TÜRKİYE: A ROADMAP FOR A STRATEGIC SECTOR

The agricultural sector is essential not only for meeting today’s needs, but also for future food security, economic development, and environmental sustainability

IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE AND ITS PLACE IN THE ECONOMY

Throughout history, the agricultural sector has played a critical role in meeting the basic needs of humanity and continues to do so today. Agriculture is not limited to the production of food, but also makes a significant contribution to economies and social order. For many countries, agriculture accounts for a considerable share of gross domestic product (GDP) and employs millions of people.

According to the World Bank, the agricultural sector will employ 1.3 billion people worldwide by 2022. Türkiye has a very important place in agriculture and food production. In 2023, Türkiye’s agricultural sector accounted for 12 percent of total exports and generated $26.5 billion in revenues.

THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE AS A STRATEGIC SECTOR

Agriculture has become a strategic sector due to issues such as global warming, population growth and food security. According to the United Nations’ 2023 report, the world population will reach 10 billion in 2050 and food demand will increase by 70 percent. This makes the continuity and efficiency of agricultural production even more critical. In particular, wheat, corn, barley and other grains are strategic crops because they are essential nutrients. In 2022, the world wheat production was realized at approximately 779 million tons.

Türkiye’s wheat production was recorded as 19.5 million tons in the same period. In addition, other crops such as maize are also crucial for animal feed and industrial use. The growing importance of grain production has become a focal point of agricultural strategies and international trade policy. For example, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on wheat shipments led to a global price spike and supply crisis. Therefore, strategic planning in the agricultural sector is more important than ever for producing countries such as Türkiye.

IMPACT OF AGRICULTURE ON LIVESTOCK

Agriculture is a strategic sector that is closely linked to livestock production. While the production of feed crops directly affects the cost of animal production, using crops such as wheat, barley, and corn as feed is critical to livestock production. In recent years, Türkiye has implemented policies to encourage domestic feed production to reduce dependence on imports for livestock feed. The increase in demand for animal food has brought efficiency and quality in feed production to the forefront.

SMART AGRICULTURE PRACTICES AND THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY

Today, smart agriculture applications provide a critical solution to increase productivity and use resources more efficiently. Drones, sensor-based irrigation systems, and AI-assisted analytics are lowering costs and reducing environmental impacts in the field. Smart agricultural technologies are now accessible not only for large-scale farms but also for small and medium-sized farmers. While investments in this area are increasing rapidly in Türkiye, the “Digital Agriculture Marketplace” project launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry allows farmers to sell their products faster and more profitably.

In 2022, more than 200,000 farmers benefited from this platform and a total of 3 million tons of products were commercialized. In addition, smart greenhouse practices are making a big difference in reducing energy costs while increasing productivity. Modern greenhouse projects developed in Turkish cities such as Antalya and Mersin have yielded significant benefits for both exports and the domestic market.

TÜRKİYE’S AGRICULTURAL FUTURE

Türkiye has unique advantages in agriculture thanks to its diverse climate and soil structure. However, to sustain these advantages, it is vital to make smart agricultural practices more widespread, improve irrigation infrastructure, and adopt resilient strategies against the effects of global warming. Türkiye’s agricultural R&D expenditures increased by 20 percent by 2023, increasing its capacity to generate innovative solutions in the sector. In addition, the expansion of cooperatives to support agricultural development has been an important factor in increasing farmers’ incomes.

With its experience and agricultural capacity in this area, Türkiye can position itself to take a leadership role in the region. Finally, the agricultural sector is essential not only for meeting today’s needs, but also for future food security, economic development, and environmental sustainability. Türkiye, with its strategic location and potential, can assume a leadership role in this area.

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