Famous Chefs Showcased Their Skills at the FAO Local Workshop

The "Local Products, Gastronomy and Cooperatives" workshop, carried out in cooperation between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Bahçeşehir University (BAU), was held in Giresun. A wide variety of flavors were presented at the workshop, held to develop local agriculture in Türkiye.

The "Local Products, Gastronomy and Cooperatives" workshop, held to develop local agricultural products in every region of Türkiye, started at the agricultural practice area in Şeyhli village in Giresun's Piraziz district. The workshop was attended by FAO Deputy Representative in Türkiye Dr. Ayşegül Selışık, UN Advisory Board Member Enver Yücel, BAU President Prof. Dr. Şirin Karadeniz, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Central Asia and Representative in Türkiye Viorel Gutu, and DOKAP Regional Development Administration President Hakan Gültekin, while famous chefs David Shipman and Adi Hadean showcased their skills in the workshop.

"Our aim is to bring the endemic plants of the Black Sea to light, introduce the region's dishes and open the gastronomy of this region to the international arena"

Speaking about the workshop, UN Advisory Board Member Enver Yücel stated that an area that will shape the agriculture of the future has been established, saying: "As Bahçeşehir University, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we are establishing an area in Giresun's Piraziz district, 2 kilometers from our airport. This area is a center for implementing smart agriculture that can shape the agriculture of the future. Our aim is to bring the endemic plants of the Black Sea to light, introduce the region's dishes made with them and open the gastronomy of this region to the international arena. If we can offer our people work and training in this field, I hope it will play an important role, first and foremost in women's employment. In this respect, we will hold such an event together with the United Nations and FAO to develop cooperatives here and to train and guide them, and we will provide training. We will have practice areas, and we will set an example for them on how the products they produce can reach international markets. Our aim is to demonstrate, in our university's practice area, how these valuable plants grown on these lands can be used in agriculture, development and medicine."

"Small family businesses must be supported"

Stating that FAO is an organization responsible for ensuring food security in the world, FAO Deputy Representative in Türkiye Dr. Ayşegül Selışık said: "As a technical organization, we are responsible in particular for ensuring food security in the world. Here, too, we need to fully support our local producers and small family businesses. In Giresun, one of the best examples of this is the large hazelnut orchards and tea gardens here. But there are also local products that small farmers bring to market, and they are able to exhibit these products here together, especially women farmers and cooperatives. We will share various information and give various presentations to support their proper access to markets. We wanted to organize a day on which we could support and motivate them, even if only a little."

"It will be an area open to everyone in agriculture who wants to be an entrepreneur"

Bahçeşehir University President Prof. Dr. Şirin Karadeniz said: "This center, which we have established together with the United Nations, will provide training and awareness activities so that our young people can take part in this sector in terms of technology, smart agriculture, climate change, legal aspects and economic development. These trainings can take place locally and in practice areas, and we will also support them with online training. This center will be an area open to all scientists in this field, to all young people who want to develop themselves in this area, and to all women and all people already working in agriculture who want to start a business or grow the company they have founded. With this center, the first of its kind in the world, we believe we will create very significant awareness and, I hope, world brands that will emerge from our country."

The event was attended by Giresun Governor Enver Ünlü, Ordu Governor Tuncay Sonel, AK Party Giresun Members of Parliament Cemal Öztürk and Kadir Aydın, Piraziz Mayor Hüseyin Görgülüoğlu, Ordu Gülyalı Mayor Ulaş Tepe, former Minister Burhan Kara, former Adana Member of Parliament Mehmet Ali Bilici, Giresun Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Gendarmerie Colonel Muhammet Sevinç, Ordu Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Gendarmerie Colonel Gazi Demir, Giresun Provincial Police Chief Fahri Aktaş and guests.