About the partnership
Turkey is one of FAO’s most important partners, working to implement programmes across Europe and Central Asia. Today, Turkey and FAO are engaged in close cooperation to achieve the shared goal of eradicating poverty and hunger.
The partnership between FAO and Turkey has thrived since the creation of the FAO Country Office in 1982; this was followed by the signing of a Host Country Agreement in 2006 and the establishment of the Subregional Office for Central Asia in Ankara in 2007.
The operational support of the Government of Turkey enhances FAO’s ability to respond to national needs as well as the regional priorities of countries in the subregion – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
FAO and Turkey’s cooperation continues to prosper through two Partnership Programmes dedicated to food security and sustainable management of natural resources – the FAO-Turkey Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP) and the FAO-Turkey Forestry Programme (FTFP), both of which are supported by trust fund contributions of the Government of Turkey, which total to date USD 30 million.
The two programmes contribute significantly to strengthening the agricultural and forestry capacities of the countries of Central Asia and Caucasus as well as those of other countries, such as in Africa and the Balkans, not only through the provision of funding but also through shared experience and expertise.
FAO-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME ON FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (FTPP)
FAO-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME ON FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (FTPP)
The overarching objective of the FAO-Turkey Partnership programme is to provide support to ensure food security and rural poverty reduction in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Projects in the programme are formulated based on country needs and priorities and are carried out at national, multi-country and subregional levels.
Turkey’s agricultural expertise is shared with national authorities in the subregion through study tours, farmer field schools and training demonstrations of good agricultural practices.
The programme is implemented in close collaboration with the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, with extensive support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Strategy and Budget Office of the Presidency (SBO) and the Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).
First Phase of the FAO-Turkey Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP) (2009-2015)
Established in 2007, FTPP benefits from trust fund contributions totalling to date USD 20 million financed by the Government of Turkey through the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The programme aims to promote and safeguard natural resources in a sustainable manner and ensure food security in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Participating countries included Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In addition, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Syria and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) benefited from some of the projects.
Between 2009 and 2015, 28 projects covering 16 countries have been implemented in the subregion funded by contributions from Turkey amounting to USD 10 million.
The principal aim of the various projects carried out during the first phase of the FTPP has been to build the capacities of farmers, fishers, foresters, pastoralists and national authorities to implement modern and sustainable agricultural practices such as Conservation Agriculture, integrated pest management, organic agriculture, sustainable natural resource management, livestock productivity and responsible fisheries management. In addition, project teams have worked with national partners to prepare strategy documents on seed development, pest management, responsible fisheries and food safety risk management, in order to encourage countries to adopt international food safety and security standards. The programme has strengthened the national capacities of decision-makers in information generation and analysis as well as the implementation of coherent agriculture policies in the agriculture and food sector.
During the first phase, the programme:
- addressed important and prioritized challenges in the region;
- created opportunities for the deployment of Turkish expertise;
- established flagship programmes such as CACFish and FishDev-CAP;
- helped to increase the capacity of many implementing institutions, with a particular focus on research institutions; and
- transferred knowledge and skills among the participants.
New phase of FTPP (2014 – the present)
In 2014, Turkey and FAO agreed to commence the second phase of FTPP for an initial minimum period of five years. For the programme’s second phase, a further trust fund contribution of USD 10 million was granted focusing on food security and nutrition, agricultural and rural development, protection and management of natural resources, agricultural policies and food safety. The second phase of the programme will cover activities in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan and beyond.
FAO-TURKEY FORESTRY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME (FTFP)
FAO-TURKEY FORESTRY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME (FTFP)
Similar to FTPP, the Government of Turkey has committed USD 10 million to the FAO-Turkey Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP). Established in 2014, the FTFP aims to strengthen the capacities of countries in the subregion and beyond by sharing Turkey and FAO’s technical expertise in forestry, natural resources, desertification and sustainable development for practical application in the field.
Areas covered by the agreement include sustainable forest management, plantations and rehabilitation, forest products and ecosystem services, forests and the environment, people and forests, governance, assessments and monitoring, combating desertification and interdisciplinary issues.