Cargill Supports Farmers with "1000 Çiftçi 1000 Bereket Programı"

Cargill continues to work on increasing the productivity and prosperity of farmers in our country through its 1000 Farmers 1000 Prosperity program. Within the scope of the program, farmers who received training from planting to harvest, access to digital farming tools and specialized consulting services for their fields achieved yield increases of up to 26 percent. In its second year, the program expanded its scope by adding sunflower alongside corn, and included 1,175 farmers in the program across 12 provinces. The 1000 Farmers 1000 Prosperity program was launched in 2019 with the aim of increasing farmers' productivity, strengthening their livelihoods, achieving social and digital transformation in agriculture and promoting sustainable farming practices. In its second year, 1000 Farmers 1000 Prosperity expanded its scope by including sunflower farmers in the program, impacting an area equivalent to 70,000 football fields across 12 provinces . The 1000 Farmers 1000 Prosperity program, which has the distinction of being the first program in agriculture and food in Turkey to have a social impact calculation, saw a social return of TRY 2.78 for every TRY 1 invested in 2020. Thus, the program's social return increased from TRY 2.53 in the previous year to TRY 2.78. Speaking at an online press conference held today, Murat Tarakçıoğlu, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Cargill Food Middle East, Turkey and Africa, announced that farmers within the program achieved yield increases of up to 26 percent, exceeding their initial target of 15 percent set at the beginning of the season.

Tarakçıoğlu stated in his remarks: "This program is an excellent example of Cargill's projects aimed at improving farmer welfare. Over two years, we have touched the lives of more than 2,200 farmers in total. In our third year, we will expand the impact of our program further by including canola farmers. At the same time, we have launched the 'Zero Waste Management in the Field' project.

Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ), in the Technology Transfer Office project of İTÜNOVA under the management of Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu and in collaboration with the Turkish Plastics Manufacturers Research Development and Training Foundation (PAGEV), we worked on finding farmer-friendly solutions to waste problems in the life cycle from seed to product. "Through the blending of farmers' knowledge and local experience with science, important steps were also taken in digitalization. Farmers benefited from digital farming tools such as soil analysis, meteorology and irrigation and forecasting stations, and satellite-based field health monitoring. Farmers who followed the correct irrigation, fertilization and pest control programs customized for their fields reduced disease risk and prevented soil pollution. Besides the yield increase, the program ensured resource conservation. This was also reflected positively on farmers' costs. Umut Ayberk Akbay, a corn farmer producing in İzmir İlkkurşun within the scope of the 1000 Farmers 1000 Prosperity program, described the program's impact with the following examples: "Before planting corn on my 200-decare field this year, agricultural engineers who visited my field conducted digital soil analysis. They sent me an SMS indicating what nutrients my soil needed and how much. I realized I had been applying fertilizer incorrectly in previous years. When I used the right amount of fertilizer, I saved 22 percent on fertilizer costs. With the Meteorology, Irrigation and Forecasting Station application, I was able to track the development of my corn from my mobile phone without having to go to the field. Agricultural engineers also monitored my field and warned me about red spider mite infestation. I applied pesticides accordingly. Thanks to the program, my yield per decare increased from 7,450 to 8,000 kilograms." The 1000 Farmers 1000 Prosperity program released its first Progress Report to share its sustainability performance and impact in a more comprehensive manner. This report provides non-financial data to demonstrate and evaluate the program's progress and long-term value. The report includes views of various institutions and organizations as well as farmers participating in the program. The 1000 Farmers 1000 Prosperity Progress Report, which is among the most widely participated stakeholder opinion reports in Turkey, can be accessed at 1000ciftci1000bereket.com. As Cargill, we invest in empowering farmers through programs like 1000 Farmers 1000 Prosperity. Murat Tarakçıoğlu, who stated that we provide farmers with access to education and digital farming tools to increase their productivity and welfare, continued his remarks as follows: "Together with farmers, we are working to contribute to feeding the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable manner."