The project to bring young people into the agricultural sector has begun for the third time.

ECONOMY / IZMIR

Turkey, which exports $36 billion worth of agricultural products annually, continues to engage young people in agriculture to reach its $50 billion food export target. The Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association, in collaboration with Ege University, Izmir University of Economics , the Sustainable Agriculture Cooperative, the Sustainable Development Youth Leaders Training Program (SÜGEP) Academy, and the Agricultural Chemical Manufacturers' Association, has launched the "Third Generation Agricultural Entrepreneurship Training" project for the third time.

Hayrettin Uçak, Vice Coordinator of the Aegean Exporters' Association and President of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association, stated that they are organizing the Third Generation Agricultural Entrepreneurship Training for the third time, and that they aim to bring young people with a propensity for entrepreneurship into agriculture by evaluating climate and economic conditions at every stage of agricultural production to ensure sustainable production combined with technological advancements.

Uçak emphasized that the Turkish agricultural sector, which generates $74 billion in annual wealth, is grappling with numerous challenges, from production and marketing to logistics and education. He said, “Our goal is to bring young people with entrepreneurial spirit into agriculture and combine sustainable production with technology. The average age in the agricultural sector has reached 55, and the migration of young people from production areas to cities poses a significant risk to the sector. As part of this program, 83 young people studying agricultural and food engineering will receive four weeks of training from 17 experts on various topics, from marketing and production to harvesting and logistics, and from entrepreneurship to R&D . The number of participants in our three training programs has exceeded 200. We believe that we will achieve Turkish agriculture's $50 billion export target with young and visionary staff. As the Aegean Region, we aim to contribute $10 billion to this export.”

On the first day of the Third Generation Agricultural Entrepreneurship Training, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Altındişli, a faculty member at Ege University's Faculty of Agriculture, delivered the first lecture, "New Approaches and Expectations in Agriculture and Food Systems." The training focused on the responses of consumers and production systems to emerging demands in both organic and conventional agriculture, along with new approaches and assessments of sustainability indicators.

Participants will attend four weeks of theoretical and practical courses, visit companies, and conduct workshops, then give presentations after completing their training. The program will conclude with a certificate ceremony. Fifty-five people participated in the "Third Generation Agricultural Entrepreneurship Training" program, organized for the first time by the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association in 2022, while 82 young food and agricultural engineering candidates participated in the 2024 training program.