The danger of the young population in agriculture
Şemsi Bayraktar, Chairman of the Turkish Union of Agricultural Chambers (TZOB), stated that 34 percent of the farmers registered in the system are 65 years or older, and said: “We must find ways to bring the young population back to the farm. agriculture. . For this, in addition to support for rural development, farmers’ incomes must increase and come closer to the incomes of other sectors.
Bayraktar, in his written statement, stated that according to the TZOB data, the current number of farmers in Turkey is 5 million 162 thousand, of whom 82 percent are men and 18 percent are women.
AVERAGE AGE OF FARMERS 58.1
Bayraktar stated that male farmers have an average age of 57.7, female farmers have an average age of 60.1, and total registered farmers have an average age of 58.1.
*34 percent of our farmers registered in the system are 65 years of age or older, and 34.6 percent are between 50 and 64 years of age.
*26.4% of our farmers are between 33 and 49 years old, 3.8% are between 25 and 32 years old and 1% are between 18 and 24 years old.
*The rate of farmers aged 18-32 in Turkey corresponds to only 4.8% of all farmers.
‘EU COUNTRIES ALLOCATE BUDGET TO FARMERS’
Bayraktar stated that the average age of workers in the agricultural sector is high all over the world.
In this context, Bayraktar stated that the average age of people who work in agriculture in the US is 58 years old, and that more than a third of people who work in agriculture in the countries of the Union European Union (EU) are over 65 years of age. Bayraktar emphasized that when these statistics are considered, Turkey also catches up with countries with an elderly population in agriculture.
Pointing out that 40 percent of farmers in Canada will retire within 10 years and that the country will need 30,000 farmers by 2033 for food supply security, Bayraktar noted that EU member countries allocate a budget for income direct and investment support for farmers under 40 years of age
‘SERIOUS LONG-TERM RISKS’
By emphasizing that the economic and social development experienced in the cities is reflected too late in the countryside, Bayraktar affirmed that the search for work, the desire to prepare a better future for children, the expectation of benefiting from educational and health opportunities, the search for social security, the acquisition of social status, the change of technology and He stressed that the intense waves of migration from the town to the city continue for reasons such as the desire to benefit from developments.
Stating that this situation must be reversed, Bayraktar made the following assessment:
“We must look for ways to return the young population to agriculture. For this, in addition to support for rural development, farmers’ incomes must increase and come closer to the incomes of other sectors. It is of great importance to increase activities with economic return in rural areas, support investments in industry based on agriculture, provide added value to agricultural products and create new job opportunities. If adequate policies are not implemented to encourage young people to engage in agricultural production and serious incentives are not given, in the long run there will be serious risks for the food security of our country. (AA)