Türkiye launches zero water loss campaign at Istanbul forum

ISTANBUL

Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı announced Türkiye’s new “Zero Loss in Water” campaign at the opening of the 5th Istanbul International Water Forum, as the country intensifies efforts to tackle mounting water stress and improve efficiency across agriculture, industry and urban use.

The forum brought together nine ministers, eight deputy ministers, water experts, policymakers and private sector representatives from around the world.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Yumaklı said the nationwide “Water Efficiency Mobilization,” launched under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, aims to transform water use through a “zero loss” principle rather than functioning as a conventional campaign.

He said Türkiye is prioritizing water-centered agricultural planning, drought-resistant crops, early warning systems, satellite-based monitoring and data-driven irrigation models.

The minister added that digital technologies, including sensors, remote sensing and big data analytics, now enable real-time monitoring of water from source to end-user, helping reduce losses, improve quality control and forecast drought and flood risks.

He stressed that stronger public-private cooperation and innovative financing will be critical to scaling the transition.