ERA ARD

• The ARD landscape in Turkey
• Priorities
• Main programmes
• Perspectives
• Funding mechanisms
• Donors and Recipients
• List of selected Web based information
• Country Profile Turkey, ERA-ARD I 2009 - pdf version

The ARD landscape in Turkey

The ARD is governed by a very large number of institutions in Turkey and primarily funded and conducted by public sectors and universities that get funding through State Planning Organization (SPO). Private sector has been encouraged to have a bigger role in national ARD by public organizations and its share in ARD increased within the recent years. General Directorate of Agricultural Research (GDAR), under Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and Scientific Research Projects Units of universities are important agricultural research supporters. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs performs a guiding function for all public agencies and institutions in terms of policy priorities.

GDAR has responsibility in agricultural research and has a - 84 year- experience in funding and coordinating research and development projects in the field of agriculture. Under the Adminis tration of GDAR, there are 1931 researchers in 58 research institutes which are responsible for carrying out agricultural R&D activities in the areas of plant breeding, production and protection, animal breeding, husbandry and health, fishery and aquaculture, food and feed, post-harvest technologies, biodiversity/genetic resources, organic agriculture, bio safety, soil and water resources management and rural development. GDAR has strategic cooperation with other research institutions and international organizations in the field of agricultural research and development. Turkey has been a member of the CGIAR since 2005.

TUBITAK is the leading agency for management, funding and conduct of research in Turkey. More than 2,000 researchers work in 15 different research institutes. TUBITAK is the focal point for the Framework Programs of the European Union since 2003. TUBITAK has bilateral agreements with 22 institusions in 18 countries at project level (United States of America –National Science Foundation, Belarus–National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Bulgaria–Academy of Sciences of Bulgaria, Germany–Deutsche Forchungsgemeinschaft and Ministry of Education and Research, France–Centre National de la Recherche and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South Korea–Korea Research Foundation, India–Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Italy–Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hungary–National Research and Technology Office,Macedonia–Ministry of Education and Science, Mongolia–Academy of Sciences, Pakistan–Ministry of Science and Technology, Romania–National Authority for Scientific Research, Slovakia–Academy of Sciences, Slovenia–Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Tunisia–Ministry of Higher education, Scientific Research and Technology, Ukraine–Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Education and Science, Greece–General Secretariat for Research and Technology) and Multilateral agreements with regional & international organisations; COST, ESF, EuroHORCs, EUREKA, OECD, NATO, UN (UNIDO, UNESCO etc.), IEA, ICSU, EMBC, ICGEB, BSEC, ECO.

TIKA (Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency) has coordination offices in 20 countries and operates across Africa, Asia and Europe, delivering development assistance to partner countries through its projects and activities. TIKA in association with The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has been exchanging Turkish experience in the field of agriculture and launched a project for East and West African Countries: “The Agricultural Cooperation and Training Program for East and West African Countries” TIKA also undertakes joint projects with international organizations (OECD, UNDP) trying to transfer the experience in the international arena to Turkey.

AERI (The Agricultural Economics Research Institute) is affiliated with MARA Research, Planning and
Coordination Council. It is responsible for conducting research and studies in agricultural economics on related issues, such as land use and production, producer and input prices, investment policies, export opportunities, marketing and trade policies and their effects on farm income and employment, etc

Priorities

The main political actors in the agricultural sector are the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and State Planning Organization (SPO). In the 9th development plan (2007-2013) of State Planning Organization (DPT), measures are planned to be taken to improve efficiency of a highly organized and competitive agricultural structure in Turkey: In the plan priorities are: To achieve food security and safety and sustainable use of natural resources. To increase quality and quantity of agricultural statistical data. To establish resource utilization balance in fishery production by conducting stock assessment studies in line with the EU acquis. To protect the natural ecosystem of forests. To conduct rehabilitation work, for utilizing lands better through urban and agro forestry, for developing private plantations and to create public awareness . To support producers to organize for various purposes in a way to increase their productivity and competitiveness in marketing by reviewing the legislation concerning producer organizations. Services provided by the public sector in the areas of phytosanitary, animal health and food safety will be carried out within an integrated framework. In line with the EU acquis, coordination among the relevant institutions will be ensured in order to increase efficiency in control and inspection activities and to this end to realize the monitoring and interventions by a single authority. In the Vision 2023 Science and Technology Strategies “Technology Forecast” project, launched under the management of TUBITAK, priorities in the field of agriculture and food research are reported as: Development of new genotypes through the combination of classical improvement, Grain seed, seed, seedling, sapling and breeder production, characterization and preservation of gene resources, processed product diversity, food processing methods and procedures, food security and reliability, development of equipment and structures in agricultural, forest, food and fis hery products, and of production systems, activation of protection, control and treatment techniques, and combat against and integrated control of disease-pests, evaluation and development of natural resources and wild life, development and dissemination of information technologies through remote censoring and early warning system in agriculture and forestry.

Specific thematic priorities related to agriculture are coordinated and implemented by General Directorate of Agricultural Research (GDAR). The priorities of agricultural research areas are determined every five years for the next five-year period by representatives from universities, private sectors, NGOs and other related institutions. GDAR makes an annual call for the submission of research proposals , reviews those received, and selects some of them for support. Current priorities: dairy cattle breeding, water quality and effectively usage of water, researches on safe, high quality food and feed, viticulture, oil seed crops, plant genetic resources, bread wheat, sheep breeding, fisheries management, protected vegetables, fodder crops, chick pea, poultry and small domestic animal diseases, animal vaccines and biological substances.

In view of emerging challenges, such as climate change, bio-energy demand and food price fluctuations, and initiatives taken by FAO and other UN agencies and international institutions, Turkey is committed to play its role in ARD nationally, bilaterally and internationally.

Main programmes

GDAR within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs carry out its research activities under two support programs: The support programme for public research institutions: The GDAR is the central public funding organisation in charge of promoting multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research programs which are carried out by their research institutes. The Support Programme for Private Sector and Non-Governmental Organizations: the main objective of this programme is to promote private sector involvement in agricultural research. It is relatively new program that gives the support on the project bases. TIKA in association with MARA has launched a project called Agricultural Cooperation and Training Program for East and West African Countries. The Program consists of four phases: i) The Agricultural Partnership Meeting ii) Training Course on Livestock Development, iii) Training Course on Sustainable Crop Production and Health iv) Practical Training Courses on Production Techniques in Agriculture and Livestock Sector.

TÜBITAK is responsible for supporting, coordinating, promoting, monitoring and carrying out research & development activities in the S&T area and develop programs and projects for this purpose, provide consultation to the government on determination of science and technology policies, carrying out research on the strategic areas, developing support programs for public sector and incentive programs for private sector. ARD projects are supported through Academic R&D Funding Directorate (ARDEB: mainly through Agriculture, Forestry & Veterinary Research Group (TOVAG) and also Public Research Grant Committee (KAMAG), The Basic Sciences Research Group (TBAG) and Environmental, Atmospheric, Earth and Marine Sciences Research Group (ÇAYDAG) and Technology and Innovation Funding Programs Directorate (TEYDEB).

Programmes under ARDEB: 1001- The Support Programme for Scientific and Technological Research
Projects support projects to increase the national competitive capacity in international market within the framework of prioritized areas. 1002- Short-Term R&D Funding Programme supports R&D projects which are urgent, short-term and having minor budget, which would be conducted in research hospitals and institutes. 1007- Support Programme for Research Projects of Public Institutions is for public institutions and designed to solve their problems or satisfy their requirements by means of R&D projects. As the "Customer Institutions", public institutions can propose projects in which universities, private firms or public R&D institutions act as "Project Executors". 3501- National Young Researchers Career Development Programme (Career Programme) is to encourage young scientists who hold a PhD degree and who are at the beginning of their scientific career by supplying project funds to their studies. International Bilateral and Multilateral Project Programmes are carried out with regional & international organisations.

Technology and Innovation Grant Programs provide grants for innovative research and development projects proposed by industrial companies. Programmes under TEYDEB: 1501 – Industry R&D Support Program. 1503 – R&D Project Market Platform Support Program. 1507 – SME R&D Beginning Support Program. 1508 – Technoenterprise Support Program. 1509 – International Industry R&D Projects Support Program.

Perspectives

Turkey attributes great importance to the initiatives taken by international organizations to alleviate hunger and achieve sustainable rural development. In TUBITAK’s Vision 2023 project, the weak and strong points and threats and opportunities for Turkey in agriculture and food were determined and basic tendencies and important driving forces in the future (2003-2023) for Turkey are summarised as; ensuring food safety, protection of ecological balance and improving environmental conditions, increasing level of efficiency, competitive power and diversification of demand depending on improvement of income and cultural levels, and eliminating regional and social imbalances. To realize these targets depends largely on implementation of policies requiring some important legal, institutional, financial and educational regulations.

Funding mechanisms

Donors and Recipients

Country Profile Turkey, ERA-ARD I 2009 - pdf version

pdf (English)