“NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK PUBLICITY MEETING” WAS HELD IN MARDIN, THE HEART OF MESOPOTAMIA
The publicity meeting of “National Rural Development” established under IPARD Programme to support the objectives determined in the rural development programmes and to provide the information and experience sharing among all the stakeholders has been held on 06 April 2018 in Mardin by the Department of Managing Authority for EU Structural Adjustment of General Directorate of Agricultural ReformDeputy Undersecretary of Ministry of Food Agriculture and Livestock Hasan Özlü, Administrator of Turkish Grand National Assembly Mardin Congressman from AK Party Ceyda Bölünmez, Mardin Congressman from AK Party Orhan Miroğlu, Deputy Governor of Mardin Ayhan Yazgan, Deputy General Director of Agricultural Reform and Head of Managing Authority Muhammed ADAK, President of Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution Hakan Kalender, AK Party Mardin Provincial Head Nihat Eri, Acting Provincial Director of Food Agriculture and Livestock Özkan Önen, ARDSI Mardin Provincial Coordinator Erdal Çelik, technical experts, entrepreneurs, related institutions, universities, municipalities, chambers, managers of institutions and NGO representatives participated to the meeting organized in the Conference Hall of Historical Mardin Museum.
“National rural network is an important step for rural development”
Ministry of Food Agriculture and Livestock General Director of Agricultural Reform Muhammed ADAK stated that a rural development made intimately in real terms would be hope for the people living in rural. He also mentioned that this was a sacred duty and it would be performed by us with the support of ARDSI, municipalities, governorships, provincial directorates, dear bureaucrat friends and all related sectors.
 “Mardin is one of the provinces benefiting from the ARDSI supports at the highest level”
“We always support the projects encouraging rural life”. Deputy Undersecretary of Ministry of Food Agriculture and Livestock Hasan Özlü determined that the exportation hasn’t been mentioned and told “our Ministry is not only based on agriculture for the development of agriculture, as it is known our Ministry depends on three words, food, agriculture and livestock. There are a lot of issues to be mentioned about as the Ministry. We are an advantaged country on vegetables and fruit. We import inadequacy for some products, such as cotton and oily seeds. However, the products we export are not being spoken. Why do we import meat? Why do we import feed? These are being spoken. From a larger point of view, each country has its own advantageous issues. This is trade. When we look at it as trade, we have a trade, an export with a value of 17 billion $. Our import is 12 billion $. For instance, we import wheat, however, last year we have exported 4 million tonnes of flour. We have bought wheat from Ukraine and we have processed. When Netherlands does the same, people acclaim them. If Turkey does, people criticise. People say that Netherlands has 90 billion $ exportation, but it also has 65 billion $ importation. We always support the projects encouraging rural life. We were in the learning process in the first period of IPARD Programme. At present, our citizens know better how to prepare EU projects and how to get the support. We completed the IPARD I programme with success. We used the 98% of the budget given. IPARD II Programme will continue in the same way”. “Hope that the studies for rural development blossom like a rose as the symbol of unity and solidarity in Mardin” In the “National Rural Network Publicity” meeting; Dr. Şenay SEVENGÖR, from the General Directorate of Agricultural Reform, said that the aim is to strengthen the rural development bonds with the National Rural Network. “We are in the heart of Mesopotamia. The history and fabulous view of Mardin touches everyone’s heart. Therefore, I associate here with roses. Rose is the symbol of beauty and real, pure and unconditional love. None of the smells can affect our hearts like a rose. It is the only flower carrying people to dreamland and legends. Mardin is the dreamland of our country. The studies on roses will start in Mardin. When we say Mardin, the first thing coming to mind is filigree art for ages”. Then she left the floor to the world-famous old filigree artist Suphi Usta. “Local development foundations shall be established in Mardin” “Approaches related to the Local Rural Development”. Seher MUĞLA from GDAR explained that 25 local action foundations in 10 provinces have already been established and from that day on 2 local action foundations will be established in Mardin. The Manager of Mardin Museum Nihat ERDOĞAN made a presentation on “Driving Power of Museums in Rural Development” and mentioned that the museums are the memory centres and in order to process the culture of the society it was necessary to keep the values and handcrafts alive and animate them as well as presenting them to society. He also added that we have to create eyes which understand these values while we keep them alive and we have raise awareness. As a good practice example “Rose and Rose Oil” project has been presented by ARDSI Isparta Provincial Coordinator Prof. Dr. Süleyman GÜLCÜ and rose oil producer Mehmet Ali DOĞAN. The 61% of world’s need of rose oil is being met Isparta. On the other hand, lavender and avant-garde lily are being produced. Rose tourism has become important. The projects on the production of rose and lavender have also started in Mardin. The local food from the Mardin cuisine prepared by the terror stricken women in the frame of “Women Revived” Project done by Producing Women Foundation supported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs have been served. A music recital by different cultures has been performed in the meeting in Mardin, the city of fellowship of religions and languages. In the meeting, the graduate of Azerbaijan Academy of Fine Arts Dr. Züleyha ABDULLAYEVA (on the piano), the Manager of Mardin Museum Nihat ERDOĞAN (on the reed-flute) and Abdurrahman OĞUZ (on the local instrument “dengbej”) came together.