The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı stated, "The greatest novelty of the IPARD 3 Programme is that from now on, we are going to reach out to investors and farmers in 81 provinces, extending the scope of IPARD grant support currently available for 42 provinces”.
At his address to the participants of “IPARD III Publicity Meeting”, Minister Yumaklı, reminded that on February 6, 2023 the whole country woke up to a devastating disaster, which mobilized the whole nation to heal the wounds of the earthquake victims.
Stating that the Ministry played an active role in rescue efforts and addressing the shelter and other humanitarian needs, Minister Yumaklı went on to say:
“We contributed to the efforts in the region at the most critical times with 15 thousand staff members and 5 thousand pieces of machinery and equipment. Even when facing ‘the disaster of the century’, the local people did not let their fields and livestock stay unattended, incessantly producing under such harsh conditions. I would like to avail myself of the opportunity to extend my gratitude to you, our esteemed producers for their appreciation. It is common knowledge that we started the IPARD support in 2011. We have been offering significant grant support for rural development ever since, co-financed by EU and the Republic of Türkiye. The grant support has been instrumental in restructuring the sector technologically and contemporarily through the supported enterprises. The Ministry has enabled new investments in 17 different sectors for the rural entrepreneurs, in scope of the IPARD Programme it has implemented for over 12 years now. We have provided a total sum of 45,6 billion liras for 25 thousand and 645 projects, so far. 98,2 billion liras of investments have been brought in the agriculture and food sectors of our country. The investments brought about employments opportunities for 96 thousand and 500 people. Furthermore, we have provided 733 Kahramanmaraş projects with roughly 2 billion liras of grant support in scope of the IPARD I and II programmes, enabling 4 billion liras of investment in the sector. We have inspired enthusiasm and breathed fresh air into the rural development agenda. Because, the rural development approach of IPARD is not based solely on grant support. Rather, it is built on a production and human oriented perspective in pursuit of achieving rural development in a systematic and sustainable manner. We, therefore, support production on one hand and on-site processing and marketing of the products on the other hand, in scope of the IPARD Programme. We are attaching all the rings of the chain together, so to speak.”
IPARD Programme grant support applicable in 81 provinces now
Minister Yumaklı expressed great joy in inaugurating a new era for rural development efforts.
Expressing his belief that the record of success achieved in the previous programme periods would be overshadowed by the IPARD 3 Programme to be applicable for 7 years starting from 2024, Minister Yumaklı remarked “We aim to create employment opportunities for the rural population by facilitating new investments in the agriculture and food sectors using grant support. The greatest novelty of the IPARD 3 Programme is the extension of the grant support in 42 provinces to cover 81 provinces to the greater advantage of our investors and farmers nationwide. Thus, not only will the huge demand from the entrepreneurs be answered, but also significant investments in rural development will be realized in provinces where the programme will be implemented for the first time. ARDSI has opened contact offices in the new-coming provinces of the IPARD Programme and assigned staff members to operate them. With the introduction of the new Programme, additional sectors will be included in scope of the grant support, which could be listed as egg processing support, forage plant production, marine aquaculture and the rural infrastructure measure that will serve the benefit of local government.”
“Such visits are a relief from our suffering, though partially”
Chairman of TGNA Committe of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs, Prof. Dr. Vahit Kirişci stated they were quite satisfied with selection of Kahramanmaraş as the venue for publicizing IPARD III Programme.
Empasizing that they would desire for Kahramanmaraş to benefit more from the grants with the implementation of IPARD III Programme, Prof. Dr. Kirişci remarked “Such visits serve as a relief from our suffering, though partially. A substantial advantage for us to heal our wounds. They are also a great source of motivation for construction of the new province of Kahramanmaraş.”
“We have had the closures of the projects with moderate-serious damage and those to be demolished urgently”
ARDSI President Dr. Ahmet Antalyalı stated that his institution has enabled utilization of the funds allocated to the country under the IPARD Programme, by way of grants for the investors for 13 years.
Pointing out to the fact that the grants provided particularly for the rural investments have enabled the investors to make their dreams a reality, indirectly contributing to “the Century of Türkiye”, President Antalyalı remarked that “I am pleased to announce that the IPARD Programmes, which were applicable in 42 provinces until presently, are going to be applicable across the country from now on, thanks to the initiatives and support of Honorable Minister. As ARDSI, starting from the very day of our foundation, we have utilized the IPARD grants to raise the number of highly competitive enterprises employing the latest means of technology to produce not only for the domestic market but also for export purposes. Furthermore, we have embraced it as a principle to promote registered production, elevate the standards of quality and production to EU level and boost entrepreneurship in all aspects. Not differently from before, we consider also for the upcoming period that rural development reaches beyond “providing support” solely and it is rather a multifaceted field shaped by several parameters such as diversification and proliferation of production, increasing the level of income for the rural population, improving and modernizing the livestock sector, promoting growth of the subsidiary industry at the local level, promoting employment and prevention of rural depopulation. Moreover, we contribute to the future of our country in such fields as environmental protection, implementation of the green deal, waste management and sustainable use of natural resources, which are the issues of crucial global consideration nowadays. Our state proceeds with its painstaking efforts to heal the wounds in the wake of the earthquakes. I would like to share some examples of ARDSI’s actions to support the recipients in the region. We have introduced flexibility in some bureaucratic obligations for the IPARD projects in the earthquake region. We have had the closures of the earthquake-hit projects with moderate-serious damage or those to be demolished urgently without waiting for the expiry of 5-year monitoring period. No recovery processes were started for those projects. We have increased the total grant amount of Malatya, Kahramanmaraş and Hatay projects the investment processes of which are still in progress. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincerest wishes of recovery to all country, hoping not to experience such agony again.”
Plaques presented to the Anatolian News Agency (AA) and Turkish Radio and Television Institution (TRT)
Minister Yumaklı presented plaques to AA Reporter Mustafa Çalkaya and Director Hümeyra Demirbaş for TRT 1 show “Chaising After Dreams” for publicizing the investments brought into life with ARDSI support.
Plaques and symbolic cheques for the investors
Minister Yumaklı presented plaques for the recipients of ARDSI grants, Züleyha Dal Konuş, Emine Çelik, Aydın Gözüaçık, Merve Avcı and Emre Ünal and a symbolic cheque to investor Ali Öğüt whose application to the PCU in Kahramanmaraş was accepted to be eligible for grant support.
Members of the protocol also presented symbolic cheques to investors Süleyman Kenger, Elif Nur Nar, Kevser Mutlu and Fatma Güzelbulut whose application to Kahramanmaraş PCU were accepted to be eligible for grant support.
