Ankara – FAO Turkey is supporting Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTPs) and local farmers by organizing vocational training sessions and Farmer Field Schools (FFS). Such training helps farmers to increase their skills and facilitates employment in the agriculture sector. This was observed during a field mission conducted by the FAO Turkey team in Hatay and Adana. The project is funded by the European Union and supported by the Provincial Directorates of Agriculture and Forestry. A recent field mission by the FAO team was led by Sheikh Ahaduzzaman, Programme Officer of FAO Turkey, to monitor progress of the project.

Ahaduzzaman elaborated further during the field mission: “The project beneficiaries gain modern knowledge of crop production through vocational training and Farmer Field Schools, which helps them to increase production and better profit from their work; it also widens the scope for better employment”.

The project beneficiaries noted that the FFS had helped improve crop management. In particular, a group of women beneficiaries emphasized the benefits of the vocational training, explaining that it had helped them acquire new skills and made them more confident about finding a job.

One woman beneficiary expressed her opinion to the FAO mission members: “When I heard about the vocational training I was very enthusiastic to participate. I recommend that all women attend the training sessions in order to learn new skills and to generate income from their work”.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, FAO Turkey is implementing a project in ten provinces to improve the livelihoods of SuTPs and Turkish host communities. The project provides support through vocational training, Farmer Field Schools, Cash for Work, Grant Schemes and the establishment of ISKUR Service Points to facilitate employment in the agriculture sector.