Water law ready as Türkiye faces drought threat

ANKARA

Agriculture and Forestry Ministry İbrahim Yumaklı has warned that nationwide rainfall has dropped by 29.4 percent compared with last year, stressing that “drought is not only Türkiye’s problem, but a global challenge.”

Speaking during his ministry’s presentation at the parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission, Yumaklı said an emergency action plan is in place and that preparations for the Water and Flood Laws have been completed.

The government’s new “Water Law” is set to regulate water resource management, including the use of surface water, flood control and irrigation, pollution prevention, monitoring and enforcement and sustainable planning with conservation strategies in line with population growth.

The minister outlined key shifts in the sector, noting that the number of registered farmers rose from 2,173,000 in 2021 to 2,364,000 in 2025, while cultivated land expanded from 151.6 million to 170.1 million decares.

The average age of farmers increased to 59, mirroring a trend in the EU where the average has climbed from 51 in 2013 to 57 today.

Youth participation also showed gradual growth. Youth farmers made up to 12.6 percent of those receiving agricultural support in 2023, 13.5 percent in 2024 and 14.2 percent in 2025.