In cooperation between the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and the Agricultural Technologies Clustering Foundation (TÜME), Türkiye aims to engage 40,000 young people in agriculture through AI-supported modern farms, daily Milliyet has reported.
Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Rector Hüseyin Dalgar, pointed out the aging risk in agriculture, noting that the average age of farmers in Türkiye has risen to 59, while only about 5 percent of farmers are between 18 and 32.
According to official data, while around 5 million people are employed in agriculture, the number of registered farmers in the Farmer Registration System has exceeded 2.3 million. Of those registered in crop production, 14 percent are young, 59 percent middle-aged, and 27 percent over 65. In livestock production, 23 percent are young, 61 percent middle-aged and 16 percent over 65.
Factors such as agriculture not being seen as a profession, families directing children to jobs with social security outside agriculture, weak social infrastructure in villages, climate change, water scarcity and rising costs have reduced young people’s interest in farming.
The project developed by YÖK and TÜME plans to establish 40,000 technological farms with a capacity of 100 cattle each across the country’s 81 provinces.
Dalgar stated that the first farm will be set up at their university, with autonomous, AI-based farms to be established nationwide. Initially, farms will be built at 10 universities, he noted.
Young people with ties to villages and inherited land will undergo three- to six-month training programs, he said. Dalgar explained: “We will equip them, accredit them and then ask them to show us 4–5 acres of land in their village where we will establish their farm.”
Dalgar noted that the farms to be established in Türkiye will be equipped with state-of-the-art robots.
“With young people using technology and practicing livestock farming at scientific and ideal standards, we will reduce calf mortality and increase average milk yields from 25 liters to 45 liters,” he said.
TÜME will establish technology-based farms at universities, and the project will not be limited to 10 universities, he noted.
By the end of September, in time for Teknofest in Şanlıurfa, 40 farms are expected to be operational, Dalgar said.
Single farmers will receive salaries equivalent to two minimum wages, while married farmers will receive three, he noted.
Depending on their success and performance, the farms will be fully transferred to them after five to ten years, Dalgar said, adding that agricultural technology companies will act as stakeholders in the foundation’s ecosystem.
