The 5th Istanbul International Water Forum opened on Tuesday with a keynote speech by Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı. Ministers and deputy ministers from more than a dozen countries, experts, academics and representatives of the public and private sectors participated in the event.
Yumaklı highlighted how Türkiye itself was “a water-stressed” country and prioritized efficient, smart and sustainable use of water for that reason. The minister reminded that first lady Emine Erdoğan pioneered a campaign for water efficiency in the country, and it focused on “zero loss” in water and aimed to reform urban, industrial and agricultural water usage.
“This is not merely a campaign, it is the transformation of a mindset,” he said.
Since its inception, the Istanbul International Water Forum has been recognized as a prestigious platform for showcasing Türkiye’s water management strategies and building international partnerships. The event continues to promote collaboration across sectors to tackle water-related challenges effectively.
The forum’s theme is “Enhancing Water Resilience: From Innovation to Action.” Yumaklı said that the theme was a reflection of the need “to go beyond talks on theories and declaration of goodwill.”
“From artificial intelligence to remote sensors, digital technologies and new financing models, we have to utilize all innovative instruments we have, to put them into practice in the field,” he said. The minister added that the forum will be a high-level platform where participants will share experiences, good applications and innovative approaches to achieve water resilience and efficiency. “All topics covered in the forum reflect a strong link of water to all disciplines, from finance to ‘One Water One Health’ approach, from water diplomacy to connections between energy, food and ecosystem,” he said.
Yumaklı said Türkiye was looking to raise awareness on the matter. “We would like to make the public aware that every drop counts. The genuine accomplishment in water efficiency is possible through transformation in agricultural cultivation. In this context, we introduced production planning centered on water, promotion of drought-resistant crops, early warning systems, satellite tracking and data-based irrigation plans. We incentivize water-friendly crops, we determine which crops are best for each region together with our farmers, producers,” he said.
