Ankara announced new amendments Wednesday to ensure forest and animal safety to benefit farmers in villages affected by forest fires.
Following the amendments published in the Official Gazette, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Vahit Kirişçi said that "villagers will have a share in the income obtained from production."
He also announced that "those who lost their lives in forest fires will be given the status of a martyr."
The minister said that the protection of forests would be strengthened with digital applications.
"With the new amendments in laws, we will make planning effective in plant and animal production by minimizing possible risks related to food supply security. We will ensure continuity in production and regulations in forestry," he added.
Kirişçi underlined that "a new era has been launched in cannabis production for fiber and medical purposes" in the country, under the control and supervision of the Turkish Grain Board services (TMO).
Wildfires, exacerbated by the effects of climate change, threaten Türkiye's evergreen land. The country has seen 226,845 hectares of forests damaged or wholly burned between 2012 and 2021, with over 61% of this loss occurring in 2021 alone. Data from the Directorate General of Forestry (OGM) shows that 27,150 forest fires occurred nationwide in the past decade.
Moreover, fires, although not uncommon, appear to have increased in intensity due to strong winds spreading them and searing temperatures further aggravating the flames.
Ankara has intensified its efforts to curb forest fires and compensate for damages with initiatives and amendments.
In his social media post, Kirişçi also underlined President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's decision regarding using certified seeds and increased support to provinces affected by the recent earthquakes on Feb. 6.
"We have increased support to 100% in the earthquake zone, e.g., TL 50 per decare to TL 100 in cereals, and TL 135 per decare for sunflower oil harvesting in 11 provinces and 52 districts determined by the ministry to have water shortages," he said.
In early February, the country was hit by deadly twin tremors, and the Turkish government has since conducted a comprehensive recovery process nationwide.
