Turkey's livestock support project distributes animals to rural producers

The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s ‘Rural Abundance, Support for Livestock’ project is facilitating the distribution of livestock to producers to bolster regional animal husbandry. In Gaziantep, the project has selected 39 beneficiaries from nearly 4,000 applicants based on a scoring system that prioritizes earthquake-affected areas, women, youth, and relatives of martyrs or veterans.

Under the Gaziantep initiative, 96 female sheep and 4 breeding rams of the İvesi breed, sourced from TİGEM in Şanlıurfa Ceylanpınar, are being distributed. Osman Türkman, President of the Gaziantep Sheep and Goat Producers Union, noted that while the sector is challenging, producers will continue if they receive fair returns for their labor.

In Adana, the project has also enabled individuals to return to the industry. Erhan Tekeli, who had transitioned to vegetable farming, successfully applied for the project and now manages a herd of 18 cattle after receiving 15 pregnant beef cattle through the ministry’s support program.