"Local Products, Gastronomy and Cooperatives" Workshop by FAO and BAU

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Bahçeşehir University (BAU) organized a workshop on the role of young people and women in agriculture and on cooperatives, under the theme "Local Products, Gastronomy and Cooperatives." The two-day workshop aims to integrate local agricultural products into national development with maximum benefit, contribute to sustainable development, and bring innovation in agriculture to family businesses as well.

The workshop on the theme "Local Products, Gastronomy and Cooperatives" was organized in cooperation between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Bahçeşehir University (BAU) in the Şeyhli neighborhood of Giresun's Piraziz district. The workshop, held at the BAU-FAO Agricultural Practice Area, was attended by AK Party Giresun Members of Parliament Kadir Aydın and Cemal Öztürk, Giresun Governor Enver Ünlü, Ordu Governor Tuncay Sonel, Giresun Mayor Aytekin Şenlikoğlu, UN Advisory Board Member Enver Yücel, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Central Asia and Representative in Türkiye Viorel Gutu, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Türkiye Alvaro Rodriguez, protocol members, women's cooperatives and many guests.

The event aims to integrate local agricultural products into national development with maximum benefit, contribute to sustainable development, bring innovation in agriculture to family businesses, inform women and young people about forming cooperatives, and actively integrate technologies related to smart farming practices, digital agriculture and sustainable food systems into these processes.

"WE WANT TO BRING THE ENDEMIC PLANTS OF THE BLACK SEA TO LIGHT"

Speaking about the workshop, UN Advisory Board Member Enver Yücel said that they have launched a study to bring the endemic plants of the Black Sea region to light.

Stating that they want to open the products grown in the region to the international arena, Yücel said: "Together with Bahçeşehir University and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we are establishing an area in Piraziz. This area is a center for implementing smart agriculture that can shape the agriculture of the future. We want to bring the endemic plants of the Black Sea to light, introduce their flavors into the region's cuisine, and open the gastronomy of this region to the international arena. I believe we will have achieved our goal if we can offer our people work and training in this field. I hope this work will play an important role, especially in women's employment. We will provide training here. We will have practice areas, and we will show participants examples of how the products they produce can reach international markets. Our aim is to demonstrate, in our university's practice area, how the valuable plants grown on these lands can be used in agriculture and medicine."

Bahçeşehir University President Prof. Dr. Şirin Karadeniz also stated that the facility established in the district is open to everyone, saying: "The work of the center we have established here will be to conduct research, especially in the fields of sustainable food systems and agriculture, and to design training programs for all target groups. Because for a sustainable world, we need to address agriculture, women and technology together. It will provide training and awareness activities so that young people and entrepreneurs can take part in this sector. This center will be open to all scientists in this field, to all young people who want to develop themselves in this area, and to all women and people already working in agriculture who want to start a business or grow the company they have founded. By bringing together our local practice areas and the experience of the United Nations, with this center, the first of its kind in the world, I believe we will create very significant awareness and, I hope, world brands that will emerge from our country."

"WE MUST SUPPORT LOCAL PRODUCERS"

FAO Deputy Representative in Türkiye Dr. Ayşegül Selışık, noting that FAO is the organization responsible for ensuring food security in the world, said: "Here we need to fully support local producers and small family businesses. Giresun is one of the best examples of this. There are large hazelnut orchards and tea gardens here, but there are also local products put on the market by small farms. We will provide information and presentations to support them in marketing these products successfully."

As part of the workshop, vegetables and fruits grown by producers as well as handicrafts were offered for sale at stands set up in the area. The two-day workshop will end tomorrow.