Environment/natural resources

Turkey is implementing a national project for the purpose of setting her National Biosafety Framework in line with the relevant articles of the Cartegana Protocol. To achieve this, General Directorate of Agricultural Research (TAGEM) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) is assigned as the lead national implementing agency.

In 1996, AGRIN was awarded a contract to establish the Project Implementation Unit to carry out the over all management, as well as monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Kyrgyz Sheep Development Project, including procurement, finance/accounting, and disbursement functions on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (MAWR).

AGRIN was awarded a contract to provide the consultancy services for watershed management, monitoring and evaluation, system analysis, soil conservation/irrigation, forestry and agricultural planning and training.

AGRIN was involved in this project as a joint-venture partner with Lincoln Int. Ltd of New Zealand. Project objectives are to strengthen the research capabilities of agriculture, forestry, soil and water research institutes, through setting priority national research programs, including farmers research systems. Major consultancy inputs provided for institutional strengthening are; preparation of a research master plans, farming system research, livestock research, crops research, integrated pest management, forestry research, soil and water research, and MIS. AGRIN was also responsible for overall coordination of the consultancy activities (more than 200 staff month) of the project.

Ceyhan – Aslantaş is a US$400 million project financed by the World Bank and implemented between 1974 – 1986. The main objective of the project was the construction of Aslantaş Dam on Ceyhan River, for the purpose of flood protection, irrigation and power generation. WCD, within the framework of its mandate, has selected ten countries to assess the impacts of large dams on development. Turkey and Aslantaş Dam were also selected for the purpose of this study. AGRIN was awarded two separate contracts by WCD for i) the initial scoping study and ii) the final case study.

The purpose of this project is to “serve the long term and large scale protection of biodiversity Yildiz Mountains (Istranca forest) on the Turkish side of the region by carrying out inventories and mapping, designing zonation, developing management plans and implementing management within the established UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve”, inventory and planning of the Yildiz Mountains as a BR; forming cooperation between Turkish and Bulgarian institutions; training and awareness raising activities and renovation of a training centre.

Agrin provided co-management of this study, as well as expertise on public relations, stakeholder analysis, communication, environmental education, environmental awareness and biodiversity.

Tuz (Salt) Lake is the second biggest lake of Turkey with an area of 1,600km2 Recently, The lake and its basin (approximately 25,000 km2) has been identified as a “Special Protection Area” by the Government of Turkey. A consortium consisting of a Turkish and Spanish firm have undertaken a feasibility study to assess the ecology, hydrology, land use, agriculture, irrigation, regional planning, etc. aspects of the area, which would finally lead to preparation of sub-projects to improve the environment.

Under the leadership of AGRIN project manager and two medical physicians, a team of 3 experts have carried out a revision study to assess health risk impacts of the pipeline area between Yumurtalık and Kayseri where the main and mobile site of the Client, were established.

In addition to Ceyhan-Aslantaş Scoping and Case Studies, in December 1999, WCD requested AGRIN to conduct Cross-Check Surveys in order to check the general status of the Ceyhan River Basin. For this purpose three surveys were carried out for two dams in the upper Ceyhan Basin and for Aslantaş Dam. With the crossc-check survey Sir, Menzelet and Aslantaş Dams were questioned on projected and actual base.

Overall objective of the project is to improve the future opportunities and living standards for youth and children in South-Eastern Turkey. The purpose of the project is to provide supplementary education opportunities for youth and children which will increase social inclusion and cohesion in pilot areas of South-Eastern Turkey. Agrin is executing this project in cooperation with European consultancy firm Niras IC sp.z.o.o from Poland and an NGO TKV from Turkey.