Turkish leaders address food security and water management at World Food Forum

At the World Food Forum held in Rome, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı addressed critical issues regarding food security and water management.

President Erdoğan emphasized that access to safe food is a fundamental element of national security. He highlighted the global disparity in food distribution, noting that while millions struggle with food scarcity, significant amounts of food are wasted. He pointed out that approximately 60 percent of food waste occurs at the consumer level in households. Erdoğan also referenced Turkey’s ‘Protect Your Food, Protect Your Table’ initiative, which has reportedly reduced bread waste by 18 percent.

Minister İbrahim Yumaklı announced that Turkey has developed a National Water Plan covering the next decade. This plan focuses on production planning centered around water availability to ensure sustainable agricultural patterns. Yumaklı stated that the government aims to complete drought forecasting and early warning systems by 2027 to enable proactive risk management rather than reactive intervention. He noted that 25 basins will be included in drought management plans to protect both water resources and farmer incomes.