If shoppers are troubled by rising prices, farmers are burdened a thousandfold. Tomatoes and watermelons are dumped from trucks onto roads... Scenes we've become all too familiar with, watched with a heavy heart year after year. Nothing changes. If we blame the rising prices of meat, milk, and food solely on inflation, we’re burying our heads in the sand. Inflation is merely a symptom; the problem is structural and deep-rooted. We can't address the decline of agriculture without examining the key moments that led to it. And here’s the grim news: with global climate change, food prices are set to rise even further.

This is one of the world’s most pressing issues. That’s why countries have been meticulously refining their agricultural policies for years, using science and technology to advance the sector. But what about us?

Let’s be honest: it would be wrong to say everything was perfect until the AKP came and ruined agriculture. The decline didn’t start with AKP. The derailment of Turkish agriculture began with the World Trade Organization’s GATT, Turgut Özal’s January 24 decisions, and Tansu Çiller’s April 5 decisions. But…

For the past 23 years, the AKP has been in power, governing alone without any coalition partners. They can’t sweep the current state of agricultural policy under the rug as if they bear no responsibility. Their culpability is significant. Even MHP and the New Welfare Party, now allies of the AKP, have documented in lengthy reports how the AKP dismantled agriculture.

For those interested, here are the links:

•⁠  ⁠[MHP Report on Agriculture](https://www.mhp.org.tr/files/raporlar/tarim)

•⁠  ⁠[New Welfare Party Report on Agriculture](https://yenidenrefahpartisi.org.tr/page/tarimimiz-gatt-ab-ve-bazi-hukumetlerimiz-eli-ile-cokertilmistir/2161)

Here are a few examples:

•⁠  ⁠In 2004, Law No. 5042 was enacted to protect the rights of foreign-certified seeds, while the sale and exchange of Turkish seeds were restricted by Law No. 5553.

•⁠  ⁠In 2005, the General Directorate of Village Services, YSE, and the General Directorates of Soil-Water and Soil-Settlement, which were vital for our villages and agriculture, were shut down.

•⁠  ⁠In 2007, a law was passed that reduced agricultural subsidies to symbolic figures.

The "It's better if we don't produce" policy

Between 2002 and 2023, the total agricultural area decreased by 2.6 million hectares. Many products were unable to meet foreign demand, thus increasing foreign dependency. The purchase prices announced by the state were deliberately kept below the cost of production. Who will account for all this?... “The biggest victim of the rent-based capital accumulation model has been the agricultural sector and agricultural lands,” says Bayram Ali Eşiyok. His article titled ‘How to stop the unraveling and blood loss in agriculture?’ written for Herkese Bilim Teknoloji magazine will be published next week. I suggest you read it to better understand the picture. 

The outlook is bleak. Research predicts that global temperature increases will drive food inflation up by 0.9% to 3.2% by 2035. Further studies show that if producers do not adapt to the new circumstances, their losses will grow each year. However, if the right policies are implemented, it will be possible to curb food inflation.

A study published in Nature Geoscience showed that by altering the crops planted in existing fields, water usage could be reduced by 10% while increasing yields enough to feed an additional 825 million people.

Increasing crop yield and resilience, using water efficiently, and utilizing scientific and technological solutions such as drones and sensors—these are the paths forward. There’s no other option but to adopt climate- and environment-friendly policies.

Twenty-three years… Twenty-three years of agricultural collapse. Yet, agriculture could have thrived. We could have been discussing new scientific breakthroughs; our universities could have pioneered new solutions. We could have set an example for many other countries.