EU helps to improve food security and rural development in Beypazarı
Did you know that half of the fruits and vegetables cultivated from the soil go to waste before reaching the consumer's plate? This is according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. This loss also costs dearly to farmers. The EU-funded Cold Storage Facility of Beypazarı Bostancıları Agricultural Production and Marketing Cooperative helps to address this problem, affecting small farmers in Türkiye's agricultural heartland.
Ahmet Gencer, the Cooperative’s President, says: “We established this facility within the scope of IPARD, the EU’s support in the field of rural development, so that our products do not go to waste. The cold storage also prevents the economic loss of our cooperative partners, which are small farmers. We have almost 300 active partners, and we are strong together.”
Hakan Bayındır, the carrot producer, is one of them. He reflects: “The cold storage facility has been beneficial for us. Previously, our product used to freeze in the field in winter; now, we store it seamlessly without any losses.”"
Beypazarı accounts for approximately 35% of Türkiye's total carrot production
With a capacity of 3,000 tonnes, the cold storage facility mainly stores carrots because Beypazarı is the district where most carrots are grown in Türkiye. Beypazarı accounts for approximately 35% of Türkiye's total carrot production, according to Mustafa Ateş, the Head of the Beypazarı Chamber of Agriculture.
Better working conditions
The investment has created better working conditions for a minimum of 30 individuals daily, of which 90% are women. The women wash and pack carrots for cooperative partners in the cold storage facility. One of them is Nuriye Yanar who says: “It’s very nice and hygienic. We work comfortably here.”
The cooperative attaches great importance to renewable energy. Solar panels have been installed on the facility's roof with the support of Ankara Development Agency. The facility will soon meet 95% of its energy needs from these solar panels.
Bringing significant investments to the district
The cold storage, established at the end of 2019 by Bostancıları Cooperative, received 50% grant support from the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution (ARDSI), the implementer of the EU’s IPARD programme.
Dr Mehmet Ali Çakal, the Ankara Provincial Coordinator of ARDSI, says: “Beypazarı is the second district to benefit the most from ARDSI support. Since our establishment, ARDSI has successfully brought significant investments to the district, totaling 127 million TL, funding 156 projects with a donation of €14 million. We will continue to stand by producers and farmers with the support of IPARD.”
Women working in washing and packing carrots in the facility
Supporting rural areas
Praising the positive impact of the IPARD program in Türkiye, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Türkiye, Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, says: “It is great to see that IPARD plays a crucial role in modernising and developing agriculture, creating employment opportunities, and improving living conditions in rural areas. As small farmers benefit from EU assistance, Türkiye's rural communities gain too. This is also important in the context of our joint efforts to improve food security.”
Beypazarı holds a special place in the programme as it implements the innovative 'agri-environment' measure, encouraging farmers to protect and improve the environmental quality of their land.
Since 2011, the EU has provided over €1.4 billion in funding for developing rural areas in Türkiye through IPARD I and II. This effort facilitated 25,000 investment projects and generated more than 90,000 jobs in rural areas. The EU has allocated €430 million for IPARD III for the years 2021-2027. When combined with Türkiye's national contributions and beneficiaries' input, the total funding may reach €1 billion, benefiting farmers and rural areas across Türkiye.
What is the IPARD programme?
IPARD is the rural development component of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) established by the European Union (EU) to support candidate and potential candidate countries. It supports policy development to prepare for implementing and managing the EU's rural development and common agricultural policies.
