Issued on: 05/10/2021 -
Severe droughts in Turkey have forced farmers to fill tanks with water
Adem ALTAN AFP
Akkuzulu (Turkey) (AFP)
Turkish farmer Hava Keles stares inconsolably at withered vines of rotting tomatoes in a field that has been devastated by a series of droughts blamed on climate change.
"My tomatoes, my beans, my peppers are ruined. My watermelons didn't even grow. The cucumbers I planted have shrivelled up on the branches," lamented Keles, 58, standing in an arid Anatolian plot in Akkuzulu, north of Ankara.
Keles is among thousands of farmers across Turkey whose livelihoods have been ravaged as little rain has fallen to nourish their crops for the past two years.
Some experts accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- whose popularity has relied on prosperity driven by fast urban development -- of failing to do enough to address pressing environmental issues in the country.
But Erdogan has promised Turkey would ratify the 2015 Paris Agreement in October before a pivotal UN climate summit next month in Glasgow. Turkey signed the deal in 2016.
Environmental issues had never topped the political agenda in Turkey, but everything changed after a summer of extreme weather events, including forest fires on the Mediterranean coast and devastating floods in the north.
Action cannot come soon enough for indebted farmers like Keles in a country where droughts have spread to more than of the territory.
"My husband says leave the garden. But I can't. I've worked too hard for this. What can I do with it now?" she asks, despite having debts worth thousands of dollars.
This summer, farmers in her neighbourhood were unable to dig deep enough to find groundwater, so they had to fetch it in large tanks pulled by tractors.
- 'Serious events coming' -
Agriculture is a major sector of the Turkish economy, accounting for around six percent of GDP and employing 18 percent of the workforce.
Turkey is self-sufficient in food production and is the world's seventh largest agricultural producer, exporting everything from hazelnuts to tea, olives to figs.
But the country's import of wheat has already risen exponentially in nearly two decades from $150 million to $2.3 billion in 2019, according to the agriculture ministry.
Such figures add to fears Turkey will move from producer to becoming a country reliant on the outside to meet its food needs.
"Turkey has a lot to adapt to, especially in terms of agriculture because serious drought events are coming. What we have seen is nothing," warned Levent Kurnaz, director of Bogazici University's centre for climate change and policy studies in Istanbul.
Akkuzulu (Turkey) (AFP)
Turkish farmer Hava Keles stares inconsolably at withered vines of rotting tomatoes in a field that has been devastated by a series of droughts blamed on climate change.
"My tomatoes, my beans, my peppers are ruined. My watermelons didn't even grow. The cucumbers I planted have shrivelled up on the branches," lamented Keles, 58, standing in an arid Anatolian plot in Akkuzulu, north of Ankara.
Keles is among thousands of farmers across Turkey whose livelihoods have been ravaged as little rain has fallen to nourish their crops for the past two years.
Some experts accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- whose popularity has relied on prosperity driven by fast urban development -- of failing to do enough to address pressing environmental issues in the country.
But Erdogan has promised Turkey would ratify the 2015 Paris Agreement in October before a pivotal UN climate summit next month in Glasgow. Turkey signed the deal in 2016.
Environmental issues had never topped the political agenda in Turkey, but everything changed after a summer of extreme weather events, including forest fires on the Mediterranean coast and devastating floods in the north.
Action cannot come soon enough for indebted farmers like Keles in a country where droughts have spread to more than of the territory.
"My husband says leave the garden. But I can't. I've worked too hard for this. What can I do with it now?" she asks, despite having debts worth thousands of dollars.
This summer, farmers in her neighbourhood were unable to dig deep enough to find groundwater, so they had to fetch it in large tanks pulled by tractors.
- 'Serious events coming' -
Agriculture is a major sector of the Turkish economy, accounting for around six percent of GDP and employing 18 percent of the workforce.
Turkey is self-sufficient in food production and is the world's seventh largest agricultural producer, exporting everything from hazelnuts to tea, olives to figs.
But the country's import of wheat has already risen exponentially in nearly two decades from $150 million to $2.3 billion in 2019, according to the agriculture ministry.
Such figures add to fears Turkey will move from producer to becoming a country reliant on the outside to meet its food needs.
"Turkey has a lot to adapt to, especially in terms of agriculture because serious drought events are coming. What we have seen is nothing," warned Levent Kurnaz, director of Bogazici University's centre for climate change and policy studies in Istanbul.
A fountain in Akkuzulu, Turkey, is left dry by lack of rain
Adem ALTAN AFP
Drought is forcing some farmers to quit while others opt to grow different crops that demand less water, leaving the consumer out of pocket as food prices rise alongside a weakening Turkish lira.
Food inflation hit 29 percent in August from last year, and in a bid to ease the pain, Erdogan cut import customs duties to zero for basics such as wheat, chickpeas and lentils until the end of the year.
Experts say the government has failed in its water management policies, exacerbating the problem.
Farmers are impacted by significantly reduced water levels in dams across Turkey, which put the water needs of every citizen at risk as well, while lakes are drying up.
"We need to build our cities in a way that allows underground water levels to rise," said Ceyhun Ozcelik, associate professor in the water resources department at Mugla Sitki Kocman University.
"If we don't take the necessary measures, if the urban infrastructure is not enough, then I can say we face difficult days in the years ahead," he added.
- 'Transform lifestyles' -
In the west of the country on the Aegean coast, green olive groves coat the hills in Milas, famous for its olive oil which gained European Union protected status in December. But the fruit is also at risk.
Ismail Atici, Milas agricultural chamber chief, said rain had not fallen at all in 2021.
"If there is still no rain for one, or two more months, the trees will not be able to nourish the fruits," he added.
Farmers' costs are spiralling.
Ferdun Cetinceviz, 41, who tends to some 200 cows and corn fields among the mountains, said he is losing up to 40,000 lira per month ($4,500, 3,900 euros).
Surrounded by dry, flat land and green mountains in the distance, Cetinceviz estimated up to 50 percent of his crop yield including corn was lost this year due to drought.
Drought is forcing some farmers to quit while others opt to grow different crops that demand less water, leaving the consumer out of pocket as food prices rise alongside a weakening Turkish lira.
Food inflation hit 29 percent in August from last year, and in a bid to ease the pain, Erdogan cut import customs duties to zero for basics such as wheat, chickpeas and lentils until the end of the year.
Experts say the government has failed in its water management policies, exacerbating the problem.
Farmers are impacted by significantly reduced water levels in dams across Turkey, which put the water needs of every citizen at risk as well, while lakes are drying up.
"We need to build our cities in a way that allows underground water levels to rise," said Ceyhun Ozcelik, associate professor in the water resources department at Mugla Sitki Kocman University.
"If we don't take the necessary measures, if the urban infrastructure is not enough, then I can say we face difficult days in the years ahead," he added.
- 'Transform lifestyles' -
In the west of the country on the Aegean coast, green olive groves coat the hills in Milas, famous for its olive oil which gained European Union protected status in December. But the fruit is also at risk.
Ismail Atici, Milas agricultural chamber chief, said rain had not fallen at all in 2021.
"If there is still no rain for one, or two more months, the trees will not be able to nourish the fruits," he added.
Farmers' costs are spiralling.
Ferdun Cetinceviz, 41, who tends to some 200 cows and corn fields among the mountains, said he is losing up to 40,000 lira per month ($4,500, 3,900 euros).
Surrounded by dry, flat land and green mountains in the distance, Cetinceviz estimated up to 50 percent of his crop yield including corn was lost this year due to drought.
Experts accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of failing to do enough to address pressing environmental issues in the country
Adem ALTAN AFP
Farmers in Milas used to grow cotton, but it requires vast quantities of water, so they switched to corn.
"If I can't water my crops which my animals also need, they will be left hungry," Cetinceviz said.
© 2021 AFP
Dry year leaves Syria wheat farmers facing crop failure
Issued on: 05/10/2021 -
Farmers in Milas used to grow cotton, but it requires vast quantities of water, so they switched to corn.
"If I can't water my crops which my animals also need, they will be left hungry," Cetinceviz said.
© 2021 AFP
Dry year leaves Syria wheat farmers facing crop failure
Issued on: 05/10/2021 -
A farmer ploughs a wheat field in the northeastern Kurdish-held city of Qamishli, part of the Syria's breadbasket region of Hasakeh which has been hit hard by low rainfall
Delil SOULEIMAN AFP
Tal Shaeer (Syria) (AFP)
After Syrian farmer Abdelbaqi Souleiman lost his last wheat crop to a wildfire, he had hoped for a better harvest this summer. But this spring there was hardly any rain.
"Last year the field I planted was burnt to the ground," said the 48-year-old.
"This year there wasn't enough rain, and we didn't harvest any wheat."
As man-made climate change increases the likelihood of drought and wildfires worldwide, Syria has also been hit hard by low rainfall this year, especially in its breadbasket Hasakeh province.
In the Kurdish-run northeastern region, dismal wheat harvests have raised alarm about food security in a war-torn country where 60 percent of people already struggle to buy food.
In Hasakeh, humanitarian agencies estimate crop production to have dropped by more than 95 percent compared to last year in large parts of the province.
Souleiman said the lack of downpour, coupled with the high price of fuel for irrigation, seeds and fertiliser, had made growing the rain-fed cereal a near mission impossible.
Tal Shaeer (Syria) (AFP)
After Syrian farmer Abdelbaqi Souleiman lost his last wheat crop to a wildfire, he had hoped for a better harvest this summer. But this spring there was hardly any rain.
"Last year the field I planted was burnt to the ground," said the 48-year-old.
"This year there wasn't enough rain, and we didn't harvest any wheat."
As man-made climate change increases the likelihood of drought and wildfires worldwide, Syria has also been hit hard by low rainfall this year, especially in its breadbasket Hasakeh province.
In the Kurdish-run northeastern region, dismal wheat harvests have raised alarm about food security in a war-torn country where 60 percent of people already struggle to buy food.
In Hasakeh, humanitarian agencies estimate crop production to have dropped by more than 95 percent compared to last year in large parts of the province.
Souleiman said the lack of downpour, coupled with the high price of fuel for irrigation, seeds and fertiliser, had made growing the rain-fed cereal a near mission impossible.
Aid agencies estimate that crop production has dropped by 95 percent in parts of Hasakeh region, compared to last year raising alarm about food security in war-torn Syria where 60 percent of people already struggle to buy food
Delil SOULEIMAN AFP
"At this rate, we'll have to stop growing wheat," he said in the village of Tal Shaeer.
"Farmers are going to have to start planting herbs like coriander and cumin because it's cheaper and they sell for more."
- 'Selling our women's gold' -
Outside the town of Qahtaniyah in the same province, Hajji Mohammed, 71, said he and his neighbours had also fallen on rough times.
"Farming has become a loss-making business," said the agricultural worker of 45 years in the village of Kardeem Haleema.
"If there's no rain this year, most people will move away."
After years of losses, the family had next to no resources left with which to launch into another season.
"At this rate, we'll have to stop growing wheat," he said in the village of Tal Shaeer.
"Farmers are going to have to start planting herbs like coriander and cumin because it's cheaper and they sell for more."
- 'Selling our women's gold' -
Outside the town of Qahtaniyah in the same province, Hajji Mohammed, 71, said he and his neighbours had also fallen on rough times.
"Farming has become a loss-making business," said the agricultural worker of 45 years in the village of Kardeem Haleema.
"If there's no rain this year, most people will move away."
After years of losses, the family had next to no resources left with which to launch into another season.
Syrian farmer Dakhil Mohammed says 'farming has become a loss-making business' and warns his family is already selling their women's gold and furnishings to buy seeds for next year
Delil SOULEIMAN AFP
"We're trying to sell our women's gold or furnishings so we can buy the seeds," he said.
Before the war erupted in 2011, Syria produced up to 4 million tonnes of wheat a year -- enough to feed its entire population, but harvests have since plunged to record lows, increasing dependence on imports.
The agriculture minister in Damascus said last month the country produced 900,000 tonnes of the grain this year, less than half of the two million tonnes needed.
Salman Barodo, co-president of the economy and agriculture commission with the Kurdish authorities, said this year's harvest had fallen far short of demand for the region's bakeries.
"We're trying to sell our women's gold or furnishings so we can buy the seeds," he said.
Before the war erupted in 2011, Syria produced up to 4 million tonnes of wheat a year -- enough to feed its entire population, but harvests have since plunged to record lows, increasing dependence on imports.
The agriculture minister in Damascus said last month the country produced 900,000 tonnes of the grain this year, less than half of the two million tonnes needed.
Salman Barodo, co-president of the economy and agriculture commission with the Kurdish authorities, said this year's harvest had fallen far short of demand for the region's bakeries.
Drought risk worldwide Gal ROMA AFP
"In previous years, we'd reap more than 600,000 tonnes of wheat," he said. It was enough for flour, seeds for the following season, and a little left over in reserve.
"But this year it was just 184,000 to 185,000."
- Harvest 'very low' -
The poor harvest comes as the whole of northeast Syria is already facing a humanitarian disaster this year, aid agencies have warned, as low rainfall has also drastically depleted water levels along the Euphrates river.
This has threatened electricity production and drinking water supplies, and complicated access to the river for irrigation.
In the neighbouring province of Raqa, 42-year-old wheat farmer Ahmed al-Humaidi said he had briefly considered switching to irrigation to save his crop.
Depleted water levels along the Euphrates due to lower rainfalls have also threatened water supplies for irrigation, and grain silos in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakeh are already running low Delil SOULEIMAN AFP
"We thought of drawing water from the Euphrates... but we were not able to because of the high cost" of equipment and fuel, he said in the village of Salhabiyah.
Mike Robson, the representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation in Syria, said the rainy season ended unusually early in March this year.
High temperatures the following month then prevented the grains from filling out properly.
"We don't yet have the full final numbers for the harvest for this year, but we're expecting it to be very low -- possibly about half the figure for last year," he said.
This would likely mean more price hikes, and more families struggling to feed themselves.
Already, the World Food Programme said in February that a staggering 12.4 million people in Syria -- out of an estimated population of 20 million -- were food insecure.
"We're expecting a further increase," Robson said.
© 2021 AFP
"In previous years, we'd reap more than 600,000 tonnes of wheat," he said. It was enough for flour, seeds for the following season, and a little left over in reserve.
"But this year it was just 184,000 to 185,000."
- Harvest 'very low' -
The poor harvest comes as the whole of northeast Syria is already facing a humanitarian disaster this year, aid agencies have warned, as low rainfall has also drastically depleted water levels along the Euphrates river.
This has threatened electricity production and drinking water supplies, and complicated access to the river for irrigation.
In the neighbouring province of Raqa, 42-year-old wheat farmer Ahmed al-Humaidi said he had briefly considered switching to irrigation to save his crop.
Depleted water levels along the Euphrates due to lower rainfalls have also threatened water supplies for irrigation, and grain silos in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakeh are already running low Delil SOULEIMAN AFP
"We thought of drawing water from the Euphrates... but we were not able to because of the high cost" of equipment and fuel, he said in the village of Salhabiyah.
Mike Robson, the representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation in Syria, said the rainy season ended unusually early in March this year.
High temperatures the following month then prevented the grains from filling out properly.
"We don't yet have the full final numbers for the harvest for this year, but we're expecting it to be very low -- possibly about half the figure for last year," he said.
This would likely mean more price hikes, and more families struggling to feed themselves.
Already, the World Food Programme said in February that a staggering 12.4 million people in Syria -- out of an estimated population of 20 million -- were food insecure.
"We're expecting a further increase," Robson said.
© 2021 AFP
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