Turkish Agriculture Set to Grow with Young Talent

The Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association believes that Turkish agriculture will grow with young people and achieve its goals. The Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association, which leads plant product exports in the Aegean Region, is preparing to add a new dimension to its efforts to bring young people into the agricultural sector, as the average age in agriculture continues to rise. Hayrettin Uçak, Deputy Chairman Coordinator of Aegean Exporter Associations and Chairman of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association, noted that they launched a project called "Third Generation Agricultural Entrepreneurship" in 2022 to attract young people to the agricultural sector, and stated that they aim to implement a new project focused on young people in 2024. Chairman Hayrettin Uçak, who hosted Prof. Dr. Fatih Şen, Faculty Member at Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, and Ege University Faculty of Agriculture students at the Uçak Brothers Seferihisar facilities, which lead Turkey's fresh fruit and vegetable exports, emphasized that young people's presence in the agricultural sector must increase for sustainability in the sector. Saying that Turkish agriculture will rise on the shoulders of young people, Uçak stated: "As the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association, we believe that young people must be involved in all stages, from production to export, from storage to transportation, from consumption to fruit and vegetable product manufacturing. For sustainable production, we will achieve success in pest control, reducing food waste, and precision agriculture through our young people. In the agricultural sector, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, universities, research institutes, producers, and exporters must implement projects that embrace young people. In 2024, one of our priority agenda items will be projects that will bring young people into the agricultural sector. I am very grateful to Prof. Dr. Fatih Şen from Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, who has made young people love agriculture and has served the agricultural sector as a scientist throughout his life," he stated. Pointing out that the agricultural sector must simultaneously combat climate change while adopting production methods consistent with zero carbon targets, Uçak added that achieving zero carbon goals will be possible when young people equipped with these targets take the initiative in the sector.