# Bornova women's urban farming initiative

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/bornova-womens-urban-farming-initiative
> Updated: 2026-08-17T06:13:00.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 3.

In July 2026, Bornova Municipality’s “Kent Bostanları” program operated seven urban garden sites where 786 women cultivated vegetables on free 24‑square‑metre plots. The mayor highlighted the harvest’s role in stabilising local prices and announced plans to add two more gardens, aiming to reach roughly 20 sites and serve about 3,000 households.

By early August, the programme expanded with the opening of a 15‑acre (30 dönüm) Kent Bostanı in the Yakaköy neighbourhood, described as one of Turkey’s largest city farms. Around 400 women and university students now work the farm, taking home part of the produce while distributing the rest free of charge to residents in need through the municipality’s Kent Market system. Mayor Ömer Eşki noted the project serves as a model of social solidarity, providing city-dwelling women a way to contribute to household budgets.

In mid-August, the municipality announced the upcoming September launch of the Karacaoğlan Urban Garden on the historic grounds of Yeşilova Höyüğü. This site, recognized as one of the Mediterranean region’s earliest agricultural locations, is intended to revive an 8,500-year-old agricultural heritage. The initiative will initially allocate plots to 220 women to cultivate winter crops such as cabbage, broccoli, and spinach. The municipality continues to pursue its long-term goal of utilizing idle urban land to reach 3,000 households through this local production network.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-17: Bornova Municipality launches urban garden project in İzmir

Bornova Municipality is launching an urban garden project in İzmir's Karacaoğlan neighborhood this September, providing 220 women with plots to cultivate crops on historic agricultural land.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bornova-municipality-launches-urban-garden-project-in-izmir

### 2026-08-05: Bornova Municipality launches Turkey's largest 15‑acre urban farm for women and students

Bornova Municipality opened a 15‑acre urban farm in Yakaköy, involving 400 women and students who harvest vegetables for home use and free distribution via municipal markets.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bornova-municipality-launches-turkeys-largest-15acre-urban-farm-for-women-and-students

### 2026-07-11: Bornova municipality harvests produce from women‑run urban gardens

Bornova mayor Ömer Eşki oversaw the harvest of vegetables grown by 786 women in seven municipal urban gardens, announcing two new sites that will add 300 more women and aim to serve 3,000 households.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bornova-municipality-harvests-produce-from-womenrun-urban-gardens

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Cite as: Bornova women's urban farming initiative. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/bornova-womens-urban-farming-initiative