Turkey-Africa 1st Agriculture Ministers Meeting and Agribusiness Forum

27-28 April 2017. Antalya, Turkey. Turkey-Africa 1st Agriculture Ministers Meeting and Agribusiness Forum.

Organized by the Turkish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, the two-day event hosted more than 300 participants, including ministers, from 54 African countries. Deals were signed with Congo, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Guinea, Rwanda and Gambia.

"African countries and Turkey worked towards starting a cooperation. We are now witnessing a political will in Turkey. This is highly important for the development of agriculture sector and for the development of African countries. We are aware of the effort. During the meetings, we listen to different presentations and projects. I believe that we are on the right path. I praise Turkey's experience in the area of agriculture as one of the largest exporters of agricultural commodities. Hence, we have a lot to learn from you and we can benefit from your experiences" Sacko Josefa Leonel Correa, African Union commissioner for rural economy and agriculture

Side events:
Side Event 1: Agricultural Financing and Credits
Turkey has a long history and thus experience in agricultural financing and credits which are performed by both public and private banks and cooperatives. The side event provided a select overview of some successful applications of agricultural financing and credits in Turkey.

• Presentation on the Importance Agricultural Financing and Credits in Africa 
• Government role in Agricultural Financing and Credits Ziraat Bankası Representative 
• Role of Cooperatives and sharing Experience Agricultural Credit Cooperatives 
• Role of Private Banks in Agricultural Financing and Credits Deniz Bank Representative 
• Importance of Agricultural Insurance Role in Agricultural Financing and Credits MFAL, Agricultural Insurance Department 

Side Event 2: Agricultural Mechanization and Irrigation Systems
Turkey has organized international training on sustainable management of soil and water resources, plant nutrition and soil management, agricultural irrigation, agricultural mechanization and information technologies, watershed hydrology and soil conservation. Experts from some of the African countries participate in those trainings every year. In agricultural production, irrigation should not be an input. Instead of this, production should take place depending upon natural rainfall. Irrigation water also should be used carefully. Experts should conduct irrigation-productivity analysis in order to save the limited water.

Side Event 3: Climate Resilience
Turkey has some research studies regarding climate change. Certain universities and institutions provide some statistical data for climate change in agriculture for Turkey. Since 2004, Turkey has created good agricultural policies including climate change. Turkish agricultural policies may serve as good practices in this area. These practices include irrigation system, agricultural mechanization, land consolidation, combating desertification, climate change. Besides building climate resilience these practices can help create employment opportunities in African States. 

Side Event 4: Agricultural Trade and Investment
This side event provided a platform for Turkish and African government officials to discuss Turkey and Africa partnership in agricultural trade and investment and help them to define priority areas for promoting trade and investment.

Side Event 5: Agricultural Inputs
This side event provided a platform for sharing Turkish experience on agricultural inputs such as improved seed, fertilizers and machinery and promoting them to African states. 

Side Event 6: Agro industry
Processing of agricultural products converts relatively bulky, perishable and typically inedible raw materials into more useful, shelf-stable and palatable foods or potable beverages. By way of agricultural processing, a lot of sub sectors such as logistic, retailing, storage, etc. will be more sophisticated and secure than before. The side event provided a platform for sharing Turkish experience in agro-industry

Side Event 7: Youth Employmentand Women inRural Development
In North Africa, unemployment rates (among a generally more educated labour force) are quite high (23.8 per cent estimated in 2012, with a 3 percentage point increase between 2010 and 2011 and a steady increase since 2007) and projected to remain high over the next five years. At the same time, labour force participation rates for women are the second lowest in the world (33.4 per cent in 2012, right after the Middle East). Informality is less marked than in the south of the Sahara, but still persistent.

Side Event 8: Food and Nutrition Security
Although there is no set formula for achieving sustainable improvements in curbing undernourishment, tangible impact often requires transforming political commitments into: (a) High-level leadership and improved governance; (b) Public-private partnerships; and (c) Comprehensive and complementary approaches to create an enabling environment. 

Improving nutrition is achievable and evidence-based interventions exist. Reducing malnutrition requires nutrition policies, which then must translate into effective programs that address challenges at the household, community and national level. Agriculture has a key role to play In Improving the quality of diets and fighting all forms of malnutrition in Africa, and conversely, improving nutrition is a pre-requisite for achieving the targets for agricultural productivity and production and socio-economic development that African states have set. It is also important to raise levels of nutrition and leverage opportunities offered by agriculture to enhance nutrition and health.

Related blog post:
21 November 2014. Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Africa-Turkey Summit Renews Agribusiness

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