Turkey begins leasing uncultivated agricultural lands

The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has begun implementing a regulation to reintegrate unused agricultural lands into production. Under a regulation published in the Official Gazette, private agricultural lands that have not been cultivated for two consecutive years can be leased seasonally to increase agricultural output and prevent soil waste.

In the province of Çankırı, the program has already yielded concrete results. The Çankırı Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry reported that 128 parcels, totaling 427.47 decares, were identified for the leasing process after being found uncultivated for two years. Following a seven-day public announcement period to collect applications, lease agreements were signed for 14 parcels located across three villages, covering a total of 162.72 decares. The handover process for these lands has been completed.

The implementation is part of the Soil Protection and Land Use Law No. 5403. While the process in Çankırı serves as a practical example, the initiative is being carried out nationwide using satellite imagery, cadastral data, and on-site inspections to identify idle lands.