Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

Turkish village solves poverty, unemployment with visionary community garden project

by Daily Sabah

ISTANBUL Feb 19, 2018 - 12:00 am GMT+3
No Image
by Daily Sabah Feb 19, 2018 12:00 am

Nine years ago, a poverty-stricken village in central Turkey's Yozgat province broke ground with a visionary project to create a huge communal garden space – a project which has now inspired hundreds of other villages across the country.

In an effort to fight growing unemployment due to migration to cities, the people of the Kabalı village in Kadışehri district began to remove fences and merge fields around their village in 2009.

By linking about 600 fields, the villagers created an agricultural area of 10,920 acres, which local government and private landowners agreed to lease to the project for 25 years.

The vast garden – which began with a fruit orchard – produced a new source of employment in the village, with 70 people hired as permanent staff and a large harvest-time work staff of 650 people.

In time, the plot drew so much income that the inhabitants of the previously-impoverished village began to save, plan and dream about the future.

Women were able to earn a fair wage, families refurbished their homes and bought appliances, and college students earned pocket money.

With improvements in the standard of living, some who had left for the city began to return home.

One villager, Sevim Ünal, remarked how much the project had impacted women in the village:

"The women bought themselves washing machines with the money they had earned from the work, bought kitchen cabinets, a car, a tractor. Many of them are now insured."

"With the project, we developed self-confidence," said Nürşan Ünal, who works in the garden with her husband and children.

"We renovated our homes, decorated them, bought ourselves cars. It's very easy for our children to afford weddings. Houses are built, we can celebrate holidays."

"We encourage the spread of the project," she added.

Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba (3rd from L) visits the village's garden.

The success of the project soon gained the notice of national leadership, garnering visits to the village by Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ministry officials.

After one visit two months ago, Minister Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba said the project has begun being implemented in 250 other villages across Turkey.

"It took a lot of effort, but we were able to do it," Hüseyin Ünal, village headman and architect of the project, told HaberTürk news correspondent.

"Unemployment is solved in our village and we are getting immigration from the city. The village population has increased by 150 people."

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Feb 19, 2018 6:43 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    homepage
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Spooktacular pups compete for best costume in NYC
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021