The government program aims to help minimize unregistered agricultural activities, encourage the use of advanced technology in farming and solve major problems such as high levels of pesticide residue in produce. Farmers who took advantage of the program received TL 225 last year but the amount will be increased to TL 500 this year, a 122 percent rise.
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, the government paid some TL 1 million to around 3,000 farmers as part of the consultancy support program in 2009. The government increased the amount to be allocated to farmers to TL 25 million this year, in anticipation that more farmers will take advantage of the program.
As part of the program, following a three-week training course, the Ministry of Agriculture issues certificates to private firms and civil society organizations along with ministry officials to enable them to provide consultancy services for farmers. Farmers are free to choose the consultant themselves and pay for the services out of money provided by the government.
Mehmet Çetin, an agricultural consultant from Mersin, said most farmers are reluctant to pay money for consulting services and that it would be better for the government to pay the consultants directly to encourage more farmers to get involved in the program. “The state pays farmers by the end of each year.
When we go and ask farmers for the money, most of them want to keep some part of the cash for themselves. It would be better if we were paid directly,” he told the Anatolia news agency. Çetin thinks the increase in the amount of support will encourage more farmers to avail themselves of the consultancy services.
