Turkey's municipalities launch climate‑resilient farming projects in Mersin and Izmir

The Yenişehir district municipality of Mersin inaugurated an “Ecological Agricultural Basin” on World Environment Day, planting 15,000 seedlings of water‑saving medicinal and aromatic plants—züfa and wild sage—to create a climate‑resilient, high‑value crop cycle. The project, driven by Mayor Abdullah Özyiğit and local agricultural officials, aims to give producers alternative income through products such as teas, dried herbs and future essential‑oil extracts, and includes training programmes with the district’s agriculture department and a local education centre.

In Izmir, the city’s Olive Council held its second meeting under Mayor Cemil Tugay to discuss adding value to the region’s olive and olive‑oil production. The council highlighted that Izmir cultivates oil olives on 846,000 decares and table olives on 104,000 decares, accounting for about 18 % of Turkey’s oil‑olive output. Officials called for improved quality standards, branding, and research on climate impacts, and announced a forthcoming workshop to develop an Izmir olive‑oil identity and promote higher‑value products.