Agriculture, Nature, Economy (5 Days / 10 Hours)

Day 1: Agriculture-Environment Relationship (2 hours / 20:00-22:00)
Content:

• Water pollution

• Pesticide bans

• Salinity in arid areas

• Resource depletion: phosphorus supply

• Resource depletion

• Resource depletion: herbicide resistance

Day 2: Climate Change (2 hours / 20:00-22:00)
Content:

• What is climate change? Scientific foundations

• Global warming and greenhouse gas effects

• Brief information from IPCC reports

Day 3: Impacts on Agricultural Production (2 hours / 20:00-22:00)
Content:

• Effects on crop production (yield, quality, planting times)

• Effects on livestock (heat stress, feed and water issues)

• Impacts on water resources (drought, irregular rainfall)

• Soil structure and erosion problems

• Increase in agricultural pests and diseases

Day 4: Increasing Productivity and Sustainability (2 hours / 20:00-22:00)
Content:

• What is productivity? Types: total factor productivity, labor productivity, land productivity

• What is sustainability? Economic, environmental, and social dimensions

• Why should they be considered together? “Produce more” vs. “Produce right”

• Policies supporting agricultural sustainability (ÇKS, IPARD, TARSİM, TKDK)

• Productivity-focused support models

• Contributions of producer unions and cooperatives

• Role of local governments: agricultural R&D, rural development projects

Day 5: Socio-Economic Implications (2 hours / 20:00-22:00)
Content:

• Fluctuations in food prices

• Migration, labor, rural poverty

• Vulnerability of small producers

• Need for agricultural insurance