The Christensen Fund
Year One Progress Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey
Phase II
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts September 2007 Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts
Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
STUDY TEAM
Mona Serageldin
Ali Kural
Berhan Ipek
Christa Lee-Chuvala
The Institute would like to acknowledge the excellent assistance received from Ceren Ozgen of Istanbul Technical University in the preparation of this report.
This study is sponsored by the Christensen Fund.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts
Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts
Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION...... 1
2 MAJOR ISSUES OF VULNERABILITY AND RESILIENCE ...... 3
2.1 Artificial Insemination ...... 5
2.2 Control and Registration of Food Products ...... 5
2.3 Animal Health and Vaccination ...... 6
2.4 Pasture improvement and management projects, courses and programs ...... 7
2.5 The Use of Manure as Fertilizer ...... 9
2.6 Village Social Collaboration Projects ...... 10
2.7 Collaboration with ICARDA Rural Development Experts ...... 11
3 PILOT PROJECTS IN SELECTED VILLAGES ...... 17
3.1 Animal Husbandry and agricultural products...... 19 3.1.1 Bulanik ...... 19 3.1.2 Çakmak ...... 28 3.1.3 Büyükçatma ...... 32 3.1.4 Boğatepe ...... 37
3.2 Revitalization of carpet weaving and traditional handicrafts ...... 38 3.2.1 Koçköyü ...... 38
4 ECO-TOURISM POTENTIAL ...... 43
4.1 Progress of tourism development in Kars Province ...... 44
4.2 Corridor 1: Kars-Çildir Lake-Posof...... 44 4.2.1 General features of the corridor ...... 44 4.2.2 Opportunities and challenges ...... 44 4.2.3 Evaluation ...... 46
4.3 Corridor 2. Posof-Susuz-Çakmak-Kars...... 46 4.3.1 General features of the corridor ...... 46 4.3.2 Selected villages along the corridor ...... 47 4.3.3 Opportunities and challenges ...... 47 4.3.4 Evaluation and Suggestions ...... 48
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts
Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
4.4 Corridor 3. Kars-Ani Ruins ...... 48 4.4.1 General features of the corridor ...... 48 4.4.2 Selected villages along the corridor ...... 48 4.4.3 Opportunities and challenges ...... 49
4.5 Corridor 4. Kars-Çilehane-Tunckaya-Kagizman-(can be followed to Igdir- Dogubeyazit) ...... 50 4.5.1 General features of the corridor ...... 50 4.5.2 Tunckaya hilltop village ...... 50 4.5.3 Çilehane ...... 51 4.5.4 Evaluation ...... 55
5 WORKPLAN FOR 2008 ...... 57
ANNEXES ...... 63
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts
Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
LIST OF MEETINGS
Province
ERDEN, Mehmet Ufuk Governor of Kars Province KAPLAN, Jale Secretary of the Governor
Municipality
ALİBEYOĞLU, Naif Mayor of Kars; President, Turkish Association of Local Authorities KARAYAZI, İhsan Project Coordinator ATALAY, Turan Directorate of Public Works – Kars Municipality
Department of Culture and Tourism
ALP, Necmettin Deputy Director, Department of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Central Government
Department of Agriculture
YURDALAN, Yusuf Director, Department of Agriculture ŞEKERCİ, Gültekin Head of the Division of Control and Registration of Food Products DOĞAN, Sadık Head of the Division of Animal Health EKİZ, Halil Head of the Division of Projects and Statistics TAÇYILDIZ, Yavuz Dede Head of the Division of Farmer Information and Education
Koçköyü
VERGÜL, Ağabey Mayor of Koçköyü Village GÜLMEZ, Nesif Farmer GÜLMEZ, Yadigar Farmer KIRKAY, Dursun Farmer
Bulanık
LEVENT, Öztürk Farmer LEVENT, Mustafa Farmer
Çakmak
SARAÇLI, İlhan Muhtar of Çakmak Village SARAÇLI, Bülent Farmer KARTALMIŞ, Muhlis Farmer KADİRHAN, İlyas Farmer KADİRHAN, Nebi Farmer
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts
Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Büyükçatma
EYÜP, Dinçer Farmer BEY, Eyüp Farmer
Çilehane
PEHLİVAN, Mehmet Farmer BEY, Alaattin Farmer
Boğatepe
AYDAR, Paşa Farmer
Yolboyu
ŞAİR, Ertaş Farmer ŞAİR, Fevzi Farmer ŞİMAY, Cemalettin Farmer ŞİMAY, Ayhan Farmer
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts
Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
1 INTRODUCTION
This progress report details the work that the Institute for International Urban Development has completed in the first year of Phase II of the Project “Strategies for Sustainable Development in Kars, Turkey.” In the previous phase, the IIUD team completed a survey of 22 villages in the Province and selected six villages with high development potential in the areas of animal husbandry, dairy production, organic farming, carpet weaving and eco-tourism, the major components of rural development in Kars Province. In January 2007 the team presented to the Governor the findings and recommendations of the 2006 study and discussed with him the preparation of an action plan focusing on the six villages to promote sustainability and resilience through better adapted production and improved practices reversing the pernicious cycle of intensified use and degradation and preserving biodiversity. The Governor agreed with the proposal and requested that the team work in close collaboration with the Department of Agriculture.
This year, the IIUD team conducted visits to the villages to initiate a participatory process for the formulation of strategies and action plans and the identification of projects. Discussions were directed at promoting the establishment of village associations and cooperatives to increase productivity and facilitate the marketing of agricultural products. The team also continued to study the development of a tourism strategy centered on key corridors in the Province with outstanding natural and cultural assets.
An interim report was submitted in June 2007 presenting information gathered from two separate visits to selected villages reachable in winter, in December and January 2007. The visits were undertaken to meet with both men and women in the less busy winter months, the best time to hold long relaxed discussions with farmers as work in the fields is at a standstill. These visits allow the team to observe the winter activities of the individual households and the village.
The closure of the Kars airport in April created a logistical problem for our team in the summer and fall. We are now forced to go to Erzurum and travel by car three hours to reach Kars, doubling the time and cost of each visit. The workplan had to be reviewed to take into account this unanticipated situation.
In February 2007, a preliminary report with diagrams outlining a proposed management structure for the Namik Kemal Community Center was submitted after a session with the Mayor to discuss the Center’s organization. This brief was e-mailed to the Mayor and a follow-up telephone discussion was held on February 18th. The management structure was then revised, taking into account the Mayor’s concerns and the comments sent by partners. The detailed note e-mailed by Ms. Rana Zincir of the Chrest Foundation was particularly useful in the revision of the first draft.
The unclear status of works on the Namik Kemal House in spring 2007 led TCF to request in March that IIUD assess the situation. Mona Serageldin and Ali Kural traveled to Kars, visited the N.K. House, met with the Mayor and discussed the completion plan with the architect and the contractor. The assessment report was submitted to TCF in April. Subsequent communication with the contractor in June made it clear that the House was not going to be completed until September. After discussing the situation with Dr. Rafique Keshavjee, it was decided that the
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 1 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II two IIUD draft reports would complete IIUD’s involvement with the N.K. House. The two reports were integrated into one document submitted to TCF in April 2007. The document is therefore not resubmitted with this progress report but it constitutes a component of our first year (2006-2007) work.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 2 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
2 MAJOR ISSUES OF VULNERABILITY AND RESILIENCE
Illustration 2.1: A village along the road to Digor.
Land and forest degradation are posing severe threats to the unique and biodiverse landscape of Eastern Anatolia. The hilly terrain is already prone to soil erosion, and poorly managed land use has led to a reduction in soil quality, threatening the continued existence of certain herb and plant species, impacting crop yields, and contributing to the eutrophication of water bodies. Recent scientific forecasts also indicate Eastern Anatolia will become even more arid due to the impacts of climate change.
In 2006, the IIUD team visited 22 villages and held meetings with the Department of Agriculture to discuss the challenges to restoration of degraded land and aquatic environment and the preservation of biodiversity. Poor agricultural and animal husbandry practices were identified as the major factors contributing to the degradation. The use of chemical fertilizers and planting of monocultures destroy the indigenous vegetation, erode its biodiversity, and alter the balance of nutrients in the soil, leaving it less productive. In addition, the population of Northeast Anatolia has not traditionally depended on cattle-breeding as a primary source of income, relying instead on sheep and goat herding and raising geese which are more suited to the landscape and the climate. However, in recent years government programs promoting cattle breeding and offering seemingly attractive subsidies have encouraged farmers to turn to cattle-breeding as the primary source of income, wealth and status in Kars Province and throughout the region. The majority of households own cattle and allow them to graze on available pastureland in the summer months.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 3 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
The existing vegetation is not adequate to feed the growing number of cattle heads, and the resulting overgrazing alters herb composition of the vegetation on the degraded pastureland. In some cases, certain plant species have been eliminated altogether due to overgrazing. It is very clear that the biodiversity of the landscape is threatened.
The region’s existing cattle stock, already stressed by the environment in which they are now forced to live and for which they are ill-adapted, is further weakened by poor animal husbandry practices. As farmers turned to cattle breeding over the years, they increased their crops of wheat, barley and oats rather than relying on indigenous, high protein plants for animal feed. As a result, the cattle have become anemic and prone to disease. Overcrowded and Photo: Mona Serageldin unsanitary barn conditions and failure to vaccinate have led to a widespread loss of Illustration 2.2: Villagers in Kars Province have animals throughout Kars Province. These traditionally herded sheep, an animal well-suited to the climate and terrain. losses and the low meat and milk production of debilitated cattle combined with a lack of opportunities for jobs outside of the agricultural sector have been key factors in the massive outmigration of youth from rural areas.
The Governor of Kars Province asked the project team to work with his Department of Agriculture to arrive at implementable recommendations for addressing these issues and improving the livelihoods of rural households. The team held several meetings with the Head of the Department of Agriculture and other department officials from December 2006 to August 2007 to discuss the Department’s viewpoints, examine the documentation assembled and visit pilot projects initiated by the Department.
Six programs are of particular interest to us for our work:
1. Artificial insemination, a popular program in great demand throughout the Province; 2. Vaccination for endemic diseases, particularly Foot and Mouth disease and Brucella; 3. Pasture improvement and the prevention of over-grazing, which is degrading the natural landscape and eroding the biodiversity of the area; 4. Restoration of the original vegetation; 5. Animal feed (slaj), an important issue given the region’s climate; 6. Use of manure as fertilizer and avoidance of reliance on chemicals.
In addition to these issues, the team was particularly interested in the registration of food products to facilitate marketing, as well as barn-building and improvement projects sponsored by the Department to provide a more sanitary environment for cattle and encourage improved stockbreeding practices.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 4 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
2.1 Artificial Insemination
Artificial insemination is performed throughout the year upon the request of the villagers. Either the Department or a contracted private veterinarian performs the procedure, which costs 35-40 YTL per animal. If the first trial is unsuccessful, the animal is covered for the second and third trials. Judging by the results experienced in Bulanık, a leading village in terms of sound stockbreeding practices in Kars Province, reproduction levels from artificial insemination are generally low, with about four cows out of ten conceiving.
2.2 Control and Registration of Food Products
The general debilitated condition of the cattle and the widespread anemia and diseases make it imperative to ensure proper workplace sanitation and quality of products. Law No. 5179 of June 4, 2004 stipulates the requirements for operation and production of food products (a summary of key articles is given in Annex 1). Within the past year the licenses of 15 certified dairies were cancelled because of concern of Brucella. The villages seek to evade inspection. When the Department’s representatives come to the villages for control purposes, they lock the dairies from outside using special doors directly connecting to their houses to exit and pretend the dairies are closed.
The government is offering subsidies covering 50 percent of the cost of establishing a modern hygienic dairy as part of the program for supporting rural development. Eligible buildings and equipment can cost up to 350,000 YTL, 175,000 of which would be covered by the program. The Head of the Department is also concerned about the disposal of whey-waste, the by-product of dairies, which is commonly poured into streams and contributes to pollution and eutrophication.
The registration of food products is handled by the Department of Agriculture. The process of application for registration requires two steps. First, the applicant must request a work permit certifying that the place of production conforms to the health and hygiene requirements. Second, each of the applicant’s food products must be registered and certified.
The cost of a work permit with all of the necessary documentation is 300 YTL, and the cost of registering a single product is 75 YTL. In some cases there may be other costs involved. For example, registering a food product requires a two-step test costing 100 YTL that must be completed at the Department of Agriculture’s laboratories. There are several impediments to obtaining test results in a timely fashion. Some tests have to be sent to Erzurum or to Trabzon which is a regional center. Some must be Photo: Ali Kural sent to Ankara. Tracking the tests involves significant costs. Illustration 2.3: A dairy in Çakmak village
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 5 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
The Provincial department is responsible to issue work permits in all areas except within the municipal boundaries where the responsibility belongs to the municipality. However, the Department worries that the municipality lacks qualified personnel and issues permits without exercising rigorous control.
At present there are 75 dairies registered in Kars. Out of these, Selsüt, Özkar and Aysüt dairies produce milk and dairy products for large companies and supermarkets in Istanbul.
2.3 Animal Health and Vaccination
The Department of Agriculture offers vaccination programs for four major diseases. Some of these diseases can spread from animals to people and 10-15 cases are recorded each month in Kars Province.
• Şap (Foot and Mouth disease). This vaccination is preventive and is performed twice per year, in the spring when the animals are released from the barn and in the autumn before they winter in the barn. Each shot costs 1.5 YTL per animal. Participation in the vaccination program in the spring is close to 100 percent as it coincides with a separate program to register villagers’ animals known as “Küpeleme”. Lack of understanding of the contagious nature of the disease and the workings of vaccines as well as a belief that the animals will not get sick in winter in the barn accounts for a low rate of participation in the fall. It is clear that the villagers do not understand that unless two shots are given six months apart the vaccination is ineffective at preventing the disease. This is an issue that has to be addressed since the debilitating disease affects milk, meat and dairy products, and marketing.
The Department works with the Muhtar to organize the vaccinations. One week prior to the arrival of the Department’s veterinarians at the village, the Muhtar informs the villagers that they have to be present with their animals. The registration and marking of the animals occurs during the vaccination visits. Although the department claims that registration is performed in the fall as well, the majority of calves are born in January-February.
Registration costs 2.5 YTL per animal. An ID card for the animal is issued, which gives the department an idea of the quantity and quality of the stock. An interesting factor unrelated to agriculture is the national social security program for the very poor, known as the “green card”. The card is a certificate of proof that the owner is very low-income and not covered under any social security plan, and gives the family access to state health Photo: Ali Kural services. The program is based on a point system. Owning cattle lowers the applicant’s Illustration 2.4: Interior view of modern stable building in Boğatepe. points and diminishes the chances of being
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 6 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
eligible for the card. Fear of loss of eligibility due to exceeding income limits leads some villagers to avoid registering their animals. In some cases farmers register their young cattle under the names of family members living elsewhere in Turkey. This in turn makes it difficult for officials at the Department to fine the owners who fail to bring in their animals for vaccination.
• Sarılık (Leptospira). This vaccination is performed when villagers observe symptoms of disease in an animal or when an animal dies. A villager informs the Department about the disease and all of his animals receive an injection. The shot has side effects on the animals which include fever, fatigue, swelling around the injection area and reduced milk production. Officials state that villagers approach the Department five to ten times every year to receive vaccinations for this disease.
• Şarbon (Anthrax). This vaccination is performed once per year and costs 1.25 YTL per animal. Each village has a scheduled annual visit.
Occurrence of the disease in an area leads to its designation by the Department as a “mihrak” condition requiring immediate action since the disease can linger for 30 to 35 years in the affected village. Sarbon can be easily spread and must be continually monitored and contained. At present about 10 percent of villages in Kars Province are affected.
• Yanıkara. The disease primarily affects young animals. The shot is given once a year at the villages where it is requested.
Officials believe that participation in vaccination programs would increase significantly if health services for the animals were provided free of charge. However villagers in the selected villages visited by the team did not complain about the cost of the vaccination. Payments for vaccinations are settled on-site and in some cases the Muhtar will inform the veterinarians which villagers do not have the means to pay for the services. However, vaccinations are performed in all cases irrespective of ability or willingness to pay. Consequently the laboratories of the Department of Agriculture are running a perennial budget deficit.
2.4 Pasture improvement and management projects, courses and programs
The Department is implementing two programs focused on pasture improvement. The aim of the first program is to promote the use of indigenous, high-protein plants such as sanfoin, hungarian vetch and alfalfa to supplement animal feed. The second centers on restoring the biodiversity of flora on land no longer used for agriculture by enriching the soil, planting high protein species initially, and then allowing other species to spread naturally over several years.
The pasture improvement programs are of great interest in the quest to foster environmentally sound policies and bio-diverse agriculture. At this time the program is focusing on combating anemia, which has made the cattle less productive and prone to disease. Ongoing projects currently include the following components:
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 7 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
• Provision of shaded areas for animals by planting saplings, primarily locust trees; • Provision of troughs for animals in proximity of the shaded areas; • Free spreading of 26 percent Amonium Nitrate and T.S.P type fertilizer in the pastures; • Planting of “Hungarian Vetch” and Sanfoin; • Promotion of planned grazing; • Education of villagers about the Photo: Ali Kural protection of pastures and prevention Illustration 2.5: Pasture improvement project in of overgrazing. Bulanik.
The program started in 2004 and focused on two villages, Bulanık and Hacıveli. 10.2 tons of Hungarian vetch seed, 525 kg of alfalfa seed and 35 tons of sanfoin seed were planted that year, and 50 percent of the cost of the seed was covered by the Department’s “Special Pasture Allowance”. 1500 meters of wire fence were built, and 230 tons of fertilizer were applied to the pastureland. Locust saplings have been planted on 30 decares of land. The farmers covered six percent of the total cost of the program’s interventions.
In 2005, with the collaboration of Eastern Anatolia Agricultural Research Institute in Erzurum, pasture improvement projects were started in the following villages.
Pasture Improvement and Management Projects started in 2005
Province County Village Pasture land Total cost in Year 2005 (da) YTL cost in YTL
Kars Akyaka Aslanhane 1,935 341,654 23,500 Kars Merkez Eşmeyazı 10,464 458,341 104,525 Kars Merkez Oğuzlu 7,219 486,685 124,025 Kars Selim Benliahmet 10,676 352,285 93,214 Kars Merkez Başgedikler 7,251.5 404,832 78,724 Total 37545.5 2,043,797 423,988
Pasture Improvement and Management Project: Costs per Village County Village Year 2004 (YTL) Year 2005 (YTL) Total (YTL) Merkez Bulanık 75,844.90 4,494.00 80,338.90 Merkez Hacıveli 93,082.77 2,678.00 95,780.77 Merkez Eşmeyazı 9,428.20 9,428.20 Merkez Başgedikler 9,086.50 9,086.50 Merkez Oğuzlu 9,428.20 9,428.20 Selim Benliahmet 8,403.30 8,403.30 Akyaka Aslanhane 26,106.28 26,106.28 168,927.67 69,644.48 238,572.21
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 8 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
In each village involved in the program, Pasture Management Associations have been organized and training courses have been held to provide information on planting techniques.
The planting of “Hungarian” vetch is considered an important achievement. This crop is more beneficial to cattle than regular vetch and other animal feeds due to its high protein content. It is estimated that 12 to 15 kg of Hungarian vetch contains proteins equivalent to 1 kg of quality meat. Hungarian vetch differs from regular vetch in that it has to be planted in autumn before September 15. During the snowy winter months the seeds must remain under the soil. In May and Photo: Mona Serageldin June when regular vetch is generally Illustration 2.6: A field of Sanfoin (Korunga), a high planted, Hungarian vetch is already 20 protein forage crop. centimeters high. In order familiarize farmers with the autumn planting of Hungarian vetch, the “Office for Farmers’ Education” at the Department of Agriculture conducted education sessions and found the villagers quite open to planting the crop.
The Department is advocating planting of hungarian vetch and alfalfa (another high protein feed) instead of wheat and barley. Planting alfalfa, however, is not possible in the more arid areas of the Province that do not have enough water to support the crop. Another difficulty is the scarcity of Hungarian vetch seeds on the market. There seems to be a monopoly and the price of seeds has risen from 0.5 YTL per kilo to 1.5 YTL per kilo.
400 decars of Hungarian vetch were planted in Hacıveli and Bulanık villages in 2004. In the third year of the project the villagers are pleased with the results, and their experience provides others with a model they can willingly emulate.
2.5 The Use of Manure as Fertilizer
“Çiftlik gübresi” or “farm fertilizer” promotes the use of animal manure as fertilizer in the fields. Fertilizing with manure is considered an environmentally sound approach since the soil remains free from chemicals. The Department is promoting the use of manure pits rather than surface mounds, which lose much of their organic content with rain. Manure pits also eliminate bad odors and dirt and stem the growth of insect larvae that are vectors of disease for both animals and people.
The government has a project to subsidize 40 percent of the cost of building a manure pit, stated in the “decision of the ministry concerning the support of development of stock breeding”. The cost of a pit is estimated to be 50,000 YTL, of which 20,000 YTL would be paid by the State and 30,000 YTL by the farm owner. However, to date there are no manure pits in Kars Province.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 9 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
2.6 Village Social Collaboration Projects
The Government sponsors and promotes initiatives known as “Village Social Collaboration Projects” that are designed to foster the establishment of Development Cooperatives in low- income villages. The initiatives are funded by the State and implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture through the Department of Agriculture in the Provinces.
The Department distributes farm animals to villages that have set up Village Development Cooperatives. Each member of the Cooperative must be able to prove ownership of a barn in good condition. The Department inspects the barns of all of the participating villagers and evaluates the need for new construction, upgrading or renovation. Funding is provided by the Ministry of Agriculture to cover up to 50 percent of the cost of constructing new barns and 2000 YTL towards the cost of renovations.
In addition to a functional, well-constructed barn, Department officials examine other criteria before distributing the animals. They take into account the farmers’ education levels and income, and also evaluate the quality of care that the farmers give to the animals they already own.
The Development Cooperatives have two options to pay for the animals. They can either choose to receive fewer animals and pay for them over five years without interest, or they can choose to receive a larger number of animals and pay for them over five years with interest (See table).
Payment for animal distribution Option 1 – Without interest Option 2 – With interest 100x2: 2 Milk Cows per 100 farms 50x4: 4 Milk Cows per 50 farms 50x25: 25 Sheep per 50 farms 50x50: 50 Sheep per 50 farms 30x10: 10 Bulls per 30 farms 50x6: 6 Bulls per 50 farms
This program has been in operation in Kars since 1995. However, the sustainability of the results achieved is open to question for several reasons:
1. Each year seven to eight new cooperatives are established in the Kars province under the program. However, once the benefits are obtained from the Government, the prevailing individualistic culture leads the farmers to dissolve or de facto suspend the operation of the association even when it continues it continues to exist on paper a s a registered cooperative. 2. The number of animals distributed is considered too small to truly lift the income of farmers. 3. The price charged for the animals under this program is high, almost 75 percent above market prices. 4. The system is seen as an incentive for political corruption during elections. 5. The villagers’ barns and animal husbandry practices are rigorously inspected and assessed prior to the award of the animals, but the condition of the barns and the health of the animals are not monitored later.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 10 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Department officials have observed that the village of Boğazköy on the Kars Susuz border is exemplary in its animal husbandry practices and dairy production, and the village of Boğatepe is exemplary in the maintenance of hygienic conditions. The Department also considers six farmers to be models for good barn construction.
Province Village Head of household Akyaka Geçit Karahan Ercan Çiçekçi Kars Çakmak Kasım Kadirhan Kars Çağlayan Muhtar’s premises Kars Dikme Former Muhtar Mr. Nuri Kars Subatan Halefoğlu farm
2.7 Collaboration with ICARDA Rural Development Experts
Following the survey of 22 villages undertaken by IIUD in 2006 and subsequent extended visits to selected villages to discuss projects to improve rural incomes with residents, it became clear that developing implementable strategies to address the region’s needs and challenges required collaboration with experts in rural development who were at the cutting edge of research on the issues relevant to the situation in Kars and who were equally comfortable discussing policy with decision-makers and engaging in field activities with farmers in the villages. To begin to establish contacts with experts in this field, IIUD contacted the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a partnership of countries, international and regional organizations, and foundations committed to supporting 15 International Centers in a mission to improve food security and alleviate poverty in developing countries through research on a range of topics related to agriculture. The former chairman of the CGIAR recommended contacting the affiliated International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) which covers the region extending from Turkey to Mongolia and south to the African Sahel as well as some Latin American countries.
Mona Serageldin visited ICARDA twice to discuss the challenges encountered in Kars and explore modalities for collaboration on addressing the most critical issues. She met with the Director General, Dr. Mahmoud El Solh, the Assistant Director General, Dr. Raj Paroda, the Assistant Director for Research, Dr. William Erskine and senior experts Dr. Ahmed Sidahmed, Dr. Mustafa Pala and Dr. Kamil Shideed who decided to visit Kars with the IIUD team.
Dr. Shideed, the leader of the mission, is the Director of Social, Economic and Policy Research Program at ICARDA. Dr. Sidahmed specializes in diversification and sustainable production systems. He is a senior expert who brings a long experience of work on food production with FAO and IFAD. Dr. Pala specializes in diversification and sustainable improvement of crop and livestock production in the dray areas. He is a Turkish national and is very interested in contributing to improving the sustainability and resilience of agricultural development in Kars. He has been working on issues of degraded soils and sheep herding and is involved with a large project in Afghanistan. All three of the experts are able to discuss highly technical issues with the agronomists, veterinarians and stockbreeding experts in the Department of Agriculture and
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 11 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II the University, but are equally at ease speaking to farmers in the villages and working with them to improve their agricultural and animal husbandry practices.
The joint IIUD-ICARDA mission to Kars took place from October 22nd to 26th, 2007. The three ICARDA experts, accompanied by Ali Kural and Christa Lee-Chuvala of the IIUD team, visited three of the villages selected by IIUD for their high development potential in specific policy areas: • Büyükçatma, a relatively better-off village with decent farming practices and a substantial amount of arable land; • Boğatepe, a village recognized for its dairy-production facilities and marketing; and • Bulanık, a village that demonstrates best practices in stockbreeding.
In Büyükçatma, the IIUD-ICARDA team met with the Muhtar, Faruk Ayyıldız and two village farmers in the Muhtar’s home. The discussion focused on the village’s production of wheat, barley and forage crops, as well as its stockbreeding and sheep-herding practices.
In Boğatepe, a village whose economic base is dairy production, the team met with a cheese producer, Paşa Amca, and his son at their home. During the discussion the team noted that only 10 households in the village produce cheese and out of these only five sell their products outside the village. The majority of the remaining households produce milk to sell to these dairy enterprises.
The ICARDA experts were impressed with Bulanık, a village that has benefited from the Province’s rural development policies and practices and has managed to increase its herd and raise the incomes of its community members through good stockbreeding practices and a cooperative spirit among the villagers. The team had an opportunity to see the village’s cattle grazing on the rangeland and to converse with the shepherd in charge of the herd. The meeting in the village was held at the Muhtar Mikail Tekin's house with five other farmers in attendance as well as a villager who had retired and returned to Bulanık after living in Istanbul for 30 years. The team discussed with the villagers Bulanık’s success in stockbreeding and asked them about their current needs in light of their improved quality of life. The farmers responded that they would benefit from improved access to credit, training programs related to agriculture and stockbreeding, and policies favorable to farmers and stockbreeders.
Several issues emerged in discussions with the ICARDA experts after the visits to the villages:
• The significance of crop-livestock systems. While the ICARDA team acknowledged the economic importance of cattle-breeding in the region, they emphasized that the health and productivity of livestock is based on the quality of nutrition they receive from the crops grown by farmers. Integrated crop-livestock systems provide the best means of diversifying production while ensuring long-term economic and environmental sustainability, increasing crop yields and livestock health, and reducing natural resource degradation. • The importance of raising small ruminants. Although the region can sustain cattle- raising, the arid climate and predominant vegetation of eastern Turkey are better suited for small ruminants, and villagers traditionally relied on flocks of sheep and goats for
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 12 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
meat and milk. Raising small ruminants requires low initial capital and maintenance costs and uses considerably less pastureland. Sheep and goats are also more resistant to harsh climatic conditions and disease. Villagers indicated that sheep and goats are easier to maintain and are also easier to sell for emergency funds, although some noted that small ruminants can harm pastureland as they consume young buds and pasture grasses before they have matured. • Crop improvement measures. Actions can be taken to significantly improve the food and forage crop yields of village farmers, including introducing drought and disease resistant strains and improving crop rotation. The experts mentioned that well-balanced fertilizing methods suited to the local soil conditions will improve soil quality and yields. They cautioned that pesticides should be avoided due to their detrimental impact on the environment. • The necessity of addressing specific policy issues. Improved agricultural and animal husbandry practices alone will not be sufficient to increase rural incomes if certain policy issues are not addressed. The ICARDA experts observed one example of a challenging policy issue during the village visits. A new 2007 pasture law intends to protect and rehabilitate pastureland by limiting the grazing season from May 1 to November 1. This period is suitable for cattle, but sheep typically graze until mid-December. It is preferable that they remain outside during their mating season, which occurs during the period from November 1 to mid-December. Their heavy coats also cause them to be hot and uncomfortable in the barns if they are forced inside in November. The requirements of the new law have led some farmers to decide to sell their sheep altogether, even for reduced prices, and focus instead on their cattle stock. Such policy issues must be urgently addressed.
These issues were discussed in a meeting the team held with the head of the Province’s Department of Agriculture, Yusuf Yurdalan. He was very pleased to meet with the ICARDA experts and understood that IIUD had facilitated this valuable visit of experts to the region. He expressed great interest in working in collaboration with and offering full support to the team, provided that the work receives approval from the Governor. The team conveyed that ICARDA always works within national agendas and would only work in Kars with the express support of the Governor. Mr. Yurdalan already knew the IIUD was working in close collaboration with his department and with the approval of the Governor.
The team also met with the heads of the Union of Stockbreeders, Mecit Boran, and the Union of Beekeepers, Soner Akat. Mr. Boran described the success of the Union of Stockbreeders in raising their membership to 6,500 since 2005, accounting for 25 percent of all of Kars’ cattle producers. Members receive extra support from the State and are eligible for low-interest rate loans. The Union is currently establishing branches in all of the Province’s districts. These branches should all be operational by 2008. In the next five years they plan to include all of the Province’s cattle producers in the Union.
The conversation with the head of the Beekeepers Union confirmed the ICARDA experts’ prior understanding that successful beekeeping households generally come from a long line of beekeeping families and that it is very difficult to establish a thriving beekeeping business without substantial experience. The Beekeepers Union is relatively new and has 200 member
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 13 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
farms. 50 percent of these households practice only beekeeping, while the other 50 percent also engage in other agricultural activities. One of the main activities of the Union is sharing information on beekeeping techniques among its members.
Overall, the ICARDA experts confirmed IIUD’s previous work in identifying five policy areas related to rural livelihoods and the selection of villages with high development potential. On the basis of the knowledge gained from their visits to the villages and meetings with the Department of Agriculture and the Head of the Union of Stockbreeders, they recommended the following actions to be conducted in collaboration with IIUD:
1. Completing a Rapid Rural Appraisal. The Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) methodology includes an in-depth survey of rural villagers, observation of local conditions, and a review of secondary information (maps, administrative records). The RRA will build on the background information previously collected in IIUD’s work in the villages in 2006 and 2007. 2. Identifying a range of technological, institutional and policy options (TIPOs) to be negotiated and tested. The RRA will complete the baseline information necessary to identify technologies and policies that may be beneficial in improving agricultural production in Kars villages. These TIPOs will be discussed with villagers and will be tested by implementing community-based pilot projects in the selected villages. 3. Deciding on “Best-bet TIPOs”. Through policy analysis and modeling and evaluating the results of the pilot projects in the selected villages, ICARDA and IIUD will decide on the technologies, institutional interventions and policies that can be scaled up. 4. Building mechanisms to scale up these programs to the national level. ICARDA and IIUD will work in collaboration with municipal and provincial authorities and the national government to develop national programs to implement the successful technologies and policies.
As ICARDA is a research organization, funding is needed to begin to implement these recommendations. On Friday, October 26th, Dr. Kamil Shideed and Dr. Ahmed Sidahmed traveled to the FAO office in Ankara to discuss funding options for the recommended activities. Representatives from FAO were supportive of the proposed project and described two funding options. The first is a small grant, between $30,000 and $40,000, which would be available quickly after the submission of a concept note from ICARDA. The second grant, available after a one-year period, would be for $500,000. Only three of these grants are disbursed for projects in Turkey per year, and the projects must be considered a priority by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Dr. Mona Serageldin, Dr. Mustafa Pala and Christa Lee-Chuvala remained in Kars on October 26th to discuss the proposed recommendations with the Governor of Kars and to request that he write a letter in support of the project to the Ministry of Agriculture to assist ICARDA in securing the small FAO grant. This would enable ICARDA experts to start working with the villages in 2008. The Governor was very pleased with the visit of the ICARDA experts and discussed the project in detail with Dr. Pala. He stated his need to discuss the matter with the head of the Department of Agriculture as the latter was traveling outside of Kars City on this day. In particular, he will discuss the forage crop rotation and building flexibility in the application of the 2007 pasture law to allow farmers to keep their sheep out of the barns until
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 14 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II mid-December as recommended by the ICARDA experts. The ICARDA team will send him the project concept note before presenting it to FAO. The IIUD team submitted to the Governor the Turkish version of the reports produced since September 2006 and the English version of the progress report of September 2007. This report is being translated into Turkish and will be delivered to the Governor by Ali Kural as soon as the translation is completed. The Governor and the Department of Agriculture were quite pleased to receive Turkish translations which are far more useful to disseminate the recommendations of the report.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 15 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 16 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
3 PILOT PROJECTS IN SELECTED VILLAGES
Photo: Ali Kural
Illustration 3.1: Construction of a new house in Bulanik.
The rural poverty prevalent in the villages of Kars Province has led villagers to resort to unsustainable survival tactics that destroy precious natural resources, threaten biodiversity, erode resilience and in the end do not provide adequate income. Stockbreeding alone, though necessary, is insufficient to raise rural incomes to a stable level, and is further hindered by poor animal husbandry practices.
In 2006, the IIUD team explored alternative strategies for sustainable rural development and selected a number of villages with high development potential. This year, the team has identified three key categories under which pilot projects should be developed to improve rural incomes while contributing to the preservation of the region’s landscape and its biodiversity. These include:
1. The improvement of animal husbandry practices and the development and marketing of dairy products in Bulanik, Çakmak, Boğatepe and Büyükçatma; 2. The revitalization of traditional handicrafts, particularly carpet weaving, in Koçköyü; 3. The development of ecotourism, focusing specifically on the villages of Çilehane and Tunckaya.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 17 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
The team’s approach to developing strategies and action plans leading to implementable pilot projects is participatory, involving meetings with residents of each village to discuss their needs, priorities and ideas to improve livelihoods, and outlook for the future. Action plans cannot be imposed on village communities. It is imperative that the villagers become the key agents of their own development and learn to partner with the provincial officials, other institutional stakeholders, and NGOs to access knowledge and resources in order to bolster support and leverage their own investment and efforts. The IIUD team conducted three field visits spaced to follow the rhythm of rural life in the different seasons of the year. The team traveled to the selected villages to meet with residents and Muhtars. In general, the villagers were eager to discuss their ideas and were excited about implementing projects to improve their incomes. The team paid particular attention to understanding the opinions and experiences of women and talked to youth whenever they were present in the village.
Ali Kural and Berhan Ipek conducted the first field study in December of 2006, visiting the villages of Boğatepe, Bulanik, Büyükçatma, Yolboyu, Çilehane and Çakmak, and meeting with officials at the Provincial Department of Agriculture. The second trip took place in January, and Ceren Ozgen accompanied Ali Kural and Berhan Ipek to focus on meeting with village women in Koçköyü, Bulanik, Çakmak and Büyükçatma villages.
The third trip focused on exploring the potential of eco-tourism in July 2007. Ali Kural, Ceren Ozgen and Berhan Ipek conducted a field study visiting several of the villages to evaluate their opportunities and challenges with regards to tourism development. The first corridor the team evaluated went from Erzurum to Karaurgan, Sarıkamış, and then past Kars to Ani. The second corridor assessed goes from Kars to Çilehane and Tunçkaya villages, Kağızman, Iğdır, Doğubeyazıt and ends at Ishakpaşa Palace. The third is the road to the mountainous Şavşat area passing Arpaçay, Çıldır Lake and Ardahan. The fourth corridor examined foes from Posof to Susuz and then to Kars, passing through the village of Çakmak. The site visits were complemented by meetings with the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Tourism, and the Office of the Cadastre at the Governorate.
In this perspective, the critical components of development for which strategies and action plans must be adopted are:
• Restoration of degraded land and water resources; • Rebuilding the resilience of rural production; • Preserving the region’s landscape and safeguarding its rich biodiversity.
All of these will require dealing with the unrestrained expansion of inefficient and detrimental cattle breeding.
Promoting the development of village associations and cooperatives has also been central to the team’s work in the villages, as the establishment of these associations is a necessary step in improving production practices and marketing of products. Some projects will require investments in machinery or facilities that would be impossible for villagers to achieve individually. As mentioned in the previous section, cooperatives are currently viewed by
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 18 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
villagers as a vehicle to obtain a benefit, rather than as a means of substantially improving efficiency, productivity and income. Without an understanding of the fundamental advantages of a cooperative approach to rural development, farmers are unwilling to pay the required membership fee to maintain the association. The team has engaged in discussions with farmers and Muhtars in each village to discuss the benefits of forming associations in order to cope with the challenges facing them in an effective and sustainable manner.
Mona Serageldin and Ali Kural met twice with the Governor to present the findings of field visits and discuss the general approach to this phase of the study, in particular the focus on sustainability rather than short-term numerical targets in selecting strategic development options.
3.1 Animal Husbandry and agricultural products
3.1.1 Bulanik
Overview Bulanik is a small village with 35 residences at a distance of 25 kilometers to the southeast of the city of Kars. The villagers specialize in stockbreeding and the development of animal products. In general, farmers in Bulanik have a more comprehensive understanding of the procedures needed to maintain the health of their cattle than do farmers in other villages. In fact, Bulanik was the only village whose residents were able to successfully breed the Simmental cows provided by the government support program, while other villages lost most of them to disease.
The village has a primary school with 10 students. To complete their secondary education children have to travel to another village. The villagers state that the public transportation is sometimes difficult in winter. The villagers are not satisfied with the education their children receive in the villages and will send their kids to the city if they have the financial resources.
The housing conditions in Bulanik are relatively better than in some other villages. Photo: Ali Kural Houses generally have separate rooms designed for different uses, including Illustration 3.2: A living room in a home in Bulanik. bedrooms and living rooms, while in other villages residents usually to transform their living rooms into bedrooms at night. In addition, the walls are painted, and the villagers in Bulanik own fairly high quality sofas, beds, wardrobes and other furniture. There were no indoor toilets in any of the villages visited because of the lack of sanitary sewerage.
Daily work in Bulanik tends to be divided according to gender. Women usually do not work outside the house, as very few have helpers with childcare or housework and have little time for other activities. Women do milk the cows in the morning, a task they must complete before 9:30
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 19 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II as the dairyman collects the milk at about 10:00. Before milking the cows they clean them with a wet towel. At one time, women worked in the fields but now they consider fieldwork and animal husbandry “the job of the men”, an idea which the men confirm. The women of the village seem contented with the workload and task-sharing but complain that the cold winters keep them inside the house for too long.
At the women’s meeting, one village woman indicated that as in other villages men generally control the household finances. She also admitted that she had no knowledge of cooperatives or associations and their benefits for animal husbandry and farming, and stated that her husband was more knowledgeable on those topics. She acknowledged that money has very little use for her in the village as there are no stores in which to spend it. When she and her husband go to Kars City her husband gives her money for transportation and other expenditures. Their household is relatively stable financially.
She also stated that the village men treat their wives well and are not physically abusive, adding ‘that used to be the case in the village, but not anymore’. She believes that the husbands of the women in the village value them. Regarding birth control, she and her friends know how to use at least one method but tend not to. At the same time, she expressed that she does not want to more children.
Development in Bulanık Bulanık’s Muhtar, Mikail Tekin, is dynamic and open-minded. He would like to see Bulanık develop to become a small town rather than a village, with paved streets and better, cleaner facilities. Due to proximity to Kars, Bulanık already has electricity and a piped water supply network. It has recently built a sewerage system with a cesspool to eliminate open drain sewers, and constructed an underground reservoir to store water. This is particularly useful during the harsh winters when the water pipes freeze.
Mr. Tekin places a high value on education and has led efforts to bring certificate programs led by the “People’s Education Centers” (Halk Eğitim Merkezi) to the village. A number of courses have been taught there on subjects of interest to both men and women, including “family planning” and “home economy”. He requested that a welding course be run for the youth in the village which enabled some young people to find jobs in Kars.
He is especially interested in education programs Photo: Ali Kural on good stock-breeding practices, animal health, Illustration 3.3: View of the new street leading to maintenance of barns and facilities, and farming the Mosque. techniques. The Muhtar has had the farm land in the village analyzed for its soil qualities and found that the soil of Bulanık has high nitrate levels and requires no chemical fertilizer. He is considering the use of manure as fertilizer on his own
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 20 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Illustration 3.4: Cadastral Map of Bulanık Village showing the new grid layout next to the existing village
Source: Office of the Cadastre, Kars Province.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 21 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
farm and would prefer that the village transition from using tezek (dried manure) to using coal for fuel to improve hygiene in the village.
A new plan is currently being developed for Bulanik to provide for an expansion of the existing village and absorb some of its new growth. A grid has been laid out southwest of the existing village. Two long and two short streets perpendicular to each other structure the new expansion area and the northern, short street becomes an extension from the existing village center and leads to the mosque. The Muhtars house is located at the opposite end of this street (Illustration 3.4).
Compared to the layout in the existing settlement, the parcels in the new area are larger and better shaped. In the new layout every inhabitant has been offered a plot of 840 square meters. Some villagers have preferred Illustration 3.5: Concept of the new village layout. to stay in the former area and others have sold their land in the new section to other villagers. Nevertheless so far the 840 square meter minimum lot size has been preserved.
In a sketch of the new expansion area drawn for the team by the Muhtar, the layout was roughly 180 meters by 500 meters and the central street provides the entrance to the village and leads to the school, the Mosque and his own house (Illustration 3.5). In this diagram, “yo” is shorthand for “street”, “orta yo” is the central street, and “Ars” means “plot”.
Agriculture and Pasture Improvements Bulanık was one of the pilot villages in the Pasture Improvement Project implemented by the Department of Agriculture and the villagers have been pleased with the results. One of the villagers planted Hungarian vetch on eight decares of land in 2006 and the good weather during the growing season gave him a substantial crop. This year he is considering planting up to 35 decares to dramatically increase his yield. The price of the Hungarian vetch seed is 2 YTL per kilo and 1 YTL is subsidized. The villager bought a total of 84 kilos last year and he harvested 1700 kg. He prefers to harvest the crop by hand as machines tend to leave a considerable amount on the ground. He is also considering planting Sanfoin seed, which is also subsidized at a rate of 50 percent.
A system of pasture management with an association of five current members and five replacement members has been established. Animals are in the barns and fields until May 15th, at which point they are taken to pasture.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 22 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Villagers in Bulanik have very little knowledge about the use of manure pits, although they do claim to have the necessary equipment to dig pits of the appropriate size and transport the manure. The amount of manure needed to fertilize the fields is estimated at about 100 tons per farm per year. This figure could be confirmed in terms of real tons per animal and in terms of manure per decare of field. The villagers indicate that manure heaps are maintained for two years stays and indicate that the drainage of the liquid generated from the heap is a problem. One question posed by villagers is how the construction and operation of a pit would influence the design of a new barn. Promoting the shift from chemical fertilizers to manure entails working with the pasture management association to develop manure pits and train the villagers in their operation.
Animal Husbandry Practices Bulanık has a strong Village Development Cooperative which was established in 1996. At that time the village received 300 – 400 Simmental breed cows from the government program and has experienced only a two to five percent loss of animals. The Muhtar believes that the village’s good pastures (aided by the Pasture Improvement Project) and the villagers’ love of animals are the reasons for Bulanık’s success in stockbreeding when other villages lost 90 percent of their stock. He compares his village with neighboring Halefoğlu which received the same number of animals but lost most of them, speculating that Halefoğlu’s lack of good pastureland and failure to emphasize education on good animal husbandry practices have hindered the village’s success.
Bulanık’s villagers today own a total of 500 cows. Villagers from three farms in Bulanık state that they regularly get the necessary vaccination shots for their animals, including the important second shot in the autumn. They believe that compared to the price of an animal the cost of vaccination is very little. However, last year the villagers lost 20 animals despite completing the vaccination cycle and believe this was due to receiving expired vaccination injections.
The village of Bulanık is well- informed about subsidies for insemination provided by the Department of Agriculture, and the farmers have been able to increase their herds. For each calf born, the farmer receives a subsidy payment of 80 YTL which increases to 140 YTL if artificial insemination is performed. However, several villagers have opted to either purchase new young bulls with up-to- date vaccinations from state-run bull farms or keep young bulls from their Photo: Ali Kural own stock rather than immediately Illustration 3.6: A bull recently purchased by a villager in selling them. Reproduction levels Bulanik from a state-run bull farm in Iğdır. from artificial insemination are
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 23 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II generally low, with about four cows out of ten conceiving. Villagers believe that maintaining bulls in their stock is more productive and state that for every 30 to 40 cows there should be one bull. However, only a few farms in the village have bulls while ideally every farm should have one or more. Bulls purchased from bull farms generally cost about 2800 YTL. The primary drawback to keeping bulls is that the brucella brucellosis disease passes from the bull to the offspring but is eliminated when cows are artificially inseminated.
Bulanik’s villagers generally clean their barns and animals daily. Measurements taken of one barn showed that it was up to standard in terms of size, but other barns visited were small, crowded and lacking sufficient ventilation. There is some jealousy towards farmers who have better barns than others, a factor which may encourage participation in a barn improvement program. Some of the farm owners in the village have hired workers, known as “shepherds”, to do the daily barn work. In one case, a shepherd was paid 500 YTL per month and worked from 4:30 AM until sundown. A shepherd can generally look after 50 animals if they are all in one barn.
Evaluation of the Pasture Improvement Project TÜBİTAK (The Turkish Institute for Scientific and Technological Research) is currently conducting an experimental project in Bulanık to evaluate the effectiveness of the Department of Agriculture’s Pasture Improvement Project on the productivity of animals. For the evaluation, 170 – 180 dönüm of land has been fenced and 32 bulls have been confined in this area. Each farmer in the village has contributed one animal, primarily of the Simmental breed. The cattle in the designated pasture are cared for with the help of a shepherd. A grazing plan is maintained so that no single area is overgrazed. No additional or artificial feed is given to the animals.
The animals were weighed at the beginning of the evaluation and are monitored on a regular basis. The project is designed to determine the effect of the pasture project on the health, weight and meat production of the animals. Milk production has not been a consideration. The Muhtar initially believed that the project did not offer any direct benefits to the village, but has recently become convinced that the results of the experiment will be helpful to the farmers in the future.
Improvement of barns and animal husbandry Villagers are very eager to generate ideas for the construction of new barns as they are unhappy with the current ones for a number of reasons:
1. Farmers consider the layout to be inconvenient. They are obligated to move among the animals to give them feed. They would prefer a corridor of about 1.5 m on the side of the barn.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 24 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
2. The older barns are laid out so that the animals face the walls. In one renovated barn the animals faced each other, a layout which the villagers preferred. 3. New breeds of cows in the farmers’ stock tend to be longer than the breeds that were common when the barns were built. The width of the platform on which the animals stand is very narrow, causing the animals to stand at a 60 degree angle. Photo: Ali Kural 4. The windows above the entrance doors are not being used and the Illustration 3.7: Inside of a stable in Bulanik where the new windows in the walls are not animals are facing the walls. opened because the animals stand up against them. Ideally both long walls in barns should have windows separated by two to three meters. 5. Farmers closed the original dormer-type windows on the roofs resulting in badly ventilated and dark spaces. The chimneys on the roof were insufficient and should be wider in diameter. 6. The roofs are deteriorating and the filled earth cover is filtering down on top of the animals, causing them to itch. 7. The roofs should also be higher to improve air circulation. 8. The poured concrete platforms used for the floors of the barn are slippery. Some floors are covered with large, flat pieces of stone that are less slippery but difficult to keep clean in the crevices. The ground should be a textured type of concrete (known as “pıtırıklı” that is easy to clean and will remain dry. 9. The animal feed in the older barns was in receptacles at about 50cm in height. The height should ideally be 15 cm, relating to the height at which the animals feed themselves when out to pasture. 10. The barns were cramped. The small amount of space between cows makes tasks like milking and cleaning quite difficult. 11. In most cases the calves were kept with the cows, although they should be kept in separate areas. 12. The villagers would like a barn design that allows them to keep bulls in the barn in the future.
The ideal barn indicated by the villagers would have a separate room to lodge the shepherd and a large corral providing at least five square meters per animal in front of the barn where animals can be taken out to exercise during winter months. As one animal consumes 20 – 30 liters of water per day, the barn should contain a water tank which would prevent the water from freezing in the winter.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 25 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
The Muhtar is aware of the inadequacies of the existing barns and agrees that new barns are needed. He emphasized the importance of taking into consideration modern machinery when designing the barns. First, a barn should be able to accommodate a milking machine of about 1 to 1.5 meters. There should be enough space to move this machine easily among the animals. Second, an animal feed preparing machine would be beneficial. Specific amounts of different feed plants are fed into the machine which mixes them automatically for about 10 to 20 minutes. The machine is then moved through the barn, leaving the appropriate amount of feed in front of each animal. The barn would need to be designed so that animals are facing each other with wide corridor between the animals to allow the machine to easily move forward easily. Other machines to consider which do not affect the design of the barns are a machine for preparing slaj and a machine for compacting hay or straw. The Muhtar could not estimate the price or the means of financing these machines but he believes them to be essential to a project to build new barns in the village. They could be bought and used collectively.
To increase the animals’ productivity, the villagers would particularly like barns to be outfitted with space for a slaj machine and an area for a milking machine and a form of refrigeration for the milk. Discussions with ICARDA experts indicated good facilities are too expensive for individual ownership and should be owned and operated by cooperatives and associations.
Of the two main materials for barn construction, the villagers prefer stone to hollow brick. Hollow brick is easier to use in construction but stone is more easily maintained and is a better insulating material. Stone walls on existing buildings are about 70 cm thick. Stone is plentiful in the area and stonemasons come from Azerbaijan, charging about 7 YTL per square meter of construction. Villagers estimate that the new barns should be about 9 meters x 35 meters with a height of at least three meters. The remaining necessary Photo: Ali Kural materials such as steel roof trusses, wood Illustration 3.8: The interior of this stable has been planks and metal roof cover are easy to find, renovated with a new layout. although the long wood logs utilized in the construction of the old barns are scarce.
One of the villagers indicated that after considering the costs, he had the financial resources and necessary land on his farm to build a new barn, but seemed reluctant to build it himself. He also said that the government subsidies would provide an incentive for him to start construction on a new barn, a clear reflection of the mentality of dependence on government for assistance even when such assistance is not needed.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 26 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Improving housing in the village In addition to constructing and
D-1 improving barns, the villagers would also like to improve their housing. In fact, for some villagers, improved housing is a higher priority. The team spoke to several villagers who were in the process of constructing or renovating their homes, and the Muhtar and several villagers drew sketches of their planned farm compounds. The first diagram, drawn by the Muhtar, is a D-2 barn and a house placed side by side separated by a low wall. The house, although drawn with a gable roof, is D-4 actually planned to have a pitched roof on all sides, while the barn will have a D-3 gable roof to distinguish it from the house. (Illustration 3.9, D-1). The second diagram, drawn by another villager, depicts a plot divided by a low stone wall. The house and barn occupy two separate sides, the barn defining the edge of the plot and the house, located in the opposite corner, creating Illustration 3.9: Diagrams depicting village plot layouts. a closed form. (Illustration 3.9, D-2)
The third diagram shows the Muhtar’s plan for his new house. It is divided in two by a hall with two rooms on one side, a bathroom at the end, and on the other side a living room close to the entrance and a kitchen at the back. At the entrance of the house there is a semi-open space used as a porch (Illustration 3.9, D-3). This plan differs significantly from the Muhtar’s existing house. It has an entrance directly into the kitchen, from which the living room and bathroom are accessible. In his new plan all the rooms and the kitchen are separated by a central hall.
The fourth drawing depicts a villager’s new house and his old house back to back with the new barn he is planning to build. The old house and the new barn will share a wall but will face different directions (Illustration 3.9, D-4)
The last diagram depicts a house that is currently under construction (Illustration 3.10). The three rooms side by side make up the villager’s existing house which will be integrated Illustration 3.10: Plan for a new into the new building. These three rooms will be bedrooms in house under construction.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 27 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II the new plan, separated from the common areas by an entrance hall and corridor. At the end of the hall is a modern bathroom next to the kitchen. The largest room in the plan is the living room next to the new entrance.
As with the barns, some villagers prefer to build with stone, which is durable, easy to maintain and blends with many of the village’s existing houses, while others choose hollow brick which can provide better insulation in the winter.
Plans for the Pilot Project
It was evident that the IIUD team’s past visits to Bulanık had provided some villagers with valuable technical assistance for the building of their new barns. One villager in particular stated that he has benefited from discussions with the IIUD team concerning barn layout and ventilation and has implemented some of the team’s recommendations. Other villagers plan to build barns in the Spring of 2008. The team will be able to provide technical assistance on barn design to these villagers during the winter before they begin construction.
The Muhtar was very enthusiastic about a project to build new barns in the village. He stated that construction could be begin next spring and requested that the team visit the village again so he could gather more residents in a public place such as the mosque or the school to ensure higher participation from the villagers.
He voiced concerns about the completion of the project, stating that he wanted to be sure that once a project is started it could be finished. He was also concerned about the continuous financing of the project, and wondered what resources would be asked of the villagers.
3.1.2 Çakmak
Çakmak is a village of 120 residents located very close to the city of Kars but separated from it by a range of hills. It has one primary/secondary school and in most cases youth attend high school in Kars. The level of education is quite high and almost all of the village youth have graduated from secondary school.
The houses in the village are quite large compared to those in other villages and are generally in good condition. One house Photo: Ali Kural that was visited had a living room, a sitting room, a sitting room for guests, a bedroom Illustration 3.11: Approaching Çakmak village. and a separate kitchen. All the villagers would like to apply for the “green card”
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 28 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
social security program. However, when they apply they are asked if they own animals and a TV, which they all do, so points are deducted and in the end they are not eligible.
Most of the households produce the famous Çakmak cheese, a soft, white cheese similar to Feta. Many women are also skilled in the production of traditional handicrafts. Some buy towels from stores in Kars City and add hand-made designs on both sides. Besides these, they knit socks and scarves. One woman claimed she had completed 100 Illustration 3.12: Çakmak’s main road dating to the carpets but does not weave anymore Russian period. because the process is hard on her hands. She sold some of the carpets and gave the others as presents for her daughters or other relatives. Not many of the women in the village are skilled at carpet-making anymore.
Since Çakmak is close to Kars city center, 50 to 100 tourists visit the village in the summer months. The village’s Russian houses, cemetery and heritage are a draw for tourists, who visit the cemetery in order to find information about their ancestors. Some village women produce well-made knitted crafts to sell to tourists, but Çakmak cheese is generally not sold. The villagers help tourists to find their way in the village, but in general maintain little contact with them. They regard the tourists as foreigners but said that it is their right to visit the village to find their ancestors’ graves. The villagers mentioned that several years ago, thieves unearthed the Russian graves to steal the clothes and valuable jewelry that the Russians are buried with. The villagers criticized these actions and stressed the importancePhoto: of Ali respecting Kural other cultures and beliefs.
Stockbreeding, Agriculture and Organic Farming Most of the villagers get their animals vaccinated, although some do not. The price of a shot per animal is 1.5 to 2 YTL if the vaccinations are done by the Department of Agriculture. On a few occasions when the animals have fallen ill the villagers have called private veterinarians, who charge on average 20 YTL for the visit and 20 YTL for medication. There are no subsidies for private treatment of animals. The villagers stated that all of their animals have “dabak” or şap but there are no other major diseases. Four to five years ago there was a terrible şap epidemic and they lost many of their animals. Since then they have given priority to vaccination and deaths have significantly decreased. Ten to twelve of the villagers’ animals have been artificially inseminated, and of those four had conceived.
During the winter most of the village’s men go to Kars early in the morning and come back to Çakmak at about 1:00 PM when they have lunch. They then care for their cattle in the afternoon. Most of the households have at least 5 to10 heads of cattle. The villagers claim that they are barely subsisting, and if they need money they sell an animal.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 29 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
The village is planting vetch using seeds they received from the Department of Agriculture. Roughly 10 kg of vetch is planted per decare of land each May. One of the villagers asserted that he planted 750 kilograms of vetch and harvested 15 tons. The villagers did not seem to have knowledge of Hungarian vetch.
Cheese Production and Marketing Çakmak cheese is produced using a special procedure which leaves no bubbles inside the cheese. Most of the villagers produce the home-made cheese in their kitchens, heating the milk in small buckets to 80 degrees Celsius and then removing it from the heat just as it is boiling. The critical temperature to eliminate the bacteria that causes the brucellosis disease is 60 degrees. The cheese is then poured into a sack and laid flat on a table. Large stones are placed on the sack for five to six hours to flatten the cheese and remove the bubbles. The cheese is then removed from the sack and cut in to palm- sized cubes. A certain amount of cheese is preserved in salt to be consumed by the household during the winter. The remainder is taken to Kars to be sold at the market. The villagers receive 2.5 to 3 YTL per kilo when they sell cheese to the shops, who then sell it for 5.5 to 6 YTL. The price of milk is 0.35 to 0.5 YTL per kilo and 7 to 8 kilos of milk are needed for one kilo of cheese. Selling Photo: Ali Kural Çakmak cheese in Kars is therefore not a Illustration 3.13: Çakmak cheese. profitable venture.
Milk is usually produced in the summer months. However, some milk can be obtained in the winter and it usually has a higher fat content due to the change in the cows’ diet and a lack of exercise. If the villagers produced cheese in the winter the amount of milk needed for one kilo of cheese drops to 5 kilos. Yeast is bought at the market in Kars which sells several brands. In the past villagers used calf’s stomach, known as “şırdan”, as yeast, but this practice ended 50 years ago. The villagers claim that “şırdan” was three times more effective than the new brands of yeast. Some villagers remember the procedure and one remembered that the stomach was obtained from young cows at the slaughterhouse.
The villagers are considering various ways of increasing the variety of their dairy production. They would like to register their product to facilitate distribution and prevent competition with other villages in Kars which also claim to be producing Çakmak cheese. They do not believe that the production of a low-fat or nonfat version of Çakmak cheese is possible. Some villagers are making different varieties of cheese, but most households mainly produce Çakmak cheese as it does not take as much time as others and allows the women time in the afternoon to socialize with other village women.
The village seems to have potential to produce the cheese at a workshop scale, but the villagers have not given this idea much thought. As the most important step in the process of making this
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 30 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II cheese is applying pressure to the cheese in its sack to eliminate the bubbles, if the villagers were to shift cheese production from their homes to a workshop they could use a mechanical press and steel cauldrons. The villagers stated that both women and men would work on the production of Çakmak cheese if a workshop was established. They also lamented that their dairy products are sold at very low prices and mentioned the need to establish a village dairy. There is currently one household in Çakmak that produces cheese in a dairy located on their premises. The owners also operate a shop in Kars and sell their own products.
The lack of standardized production methods limits the product’s competitiveness in international and domestic markets, and currently most of the demand for the cheese comes only from local markets. Some villagers seem eager to come together and set up a cooperative to improve the production quality. Nevertheless, financing a dairy is a costly investment and the villagers face obstacles to accessing credit.
Çakmak’s Muhtar is supportive of the idea of establishing a cheese production unit and stated that he can provide land, materials and labor for its construction. He complained that the young people of the village are unemployed and ask their fathers for money, and he would like to create employment in the village. Although most of the youth in the village have high school degrees, they are idle in the winter when farming duties are not required and are eager to work. One villager mentioned that his son went to Russia to find work but could not compete with Afghan immigrants and had to return home.
Challenges to improving Çakmak cheese production Çakmak has experience with the establishment of cooperatives, as the villagers created an association to benefit from the government support program distributing Simmental cows. This cooperative was dissolved due to debt. In two months the villagers will be eligible to establish a new cooperative, but 80 percent of the residents are still in debt because of the previous cooperative and are therefore not eligible to be members of the new one.
The village women are aware of cooperatives and their benefits but they do not believe that the villagers would come together once again to set up a sustainable cooperative. One woman mentioned that neighborly relations between village households have deteriorated due to the behavior of the Muhtar who through his management style has created two opposing sides in the village. She thinks it will be difficult to repair these relationships.
The villagers find the cost of tests for food products expensive at 75 YTL. In addition, if they apply for a permit they pay a fee of 5 YTL towards the “union of development of farming and stockbreeding” and 5 YTL to the Ministry of Finance. Some villagers are frustrated with the Department of Agriculture. They had questioned the Department about subsidies granted by the state and for EU funding for dairy production projects and have had difficulties in obtaining answers to their questions. In any case such funding would require them to form a cooperative or an association.
In addition, the villagers are skeptical about the completion of projects in their village due to past negative experiences. Several years ago there had been a proposal to install a sewerage system in the village, and an NGO and several contractors took measurements and asked villagers to
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 31 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II participate in construction. Pipes were sent to the village to be used for the project, but it was never completed. In a second case, the Department of Village Services told the village that they planned to rebuild a damaged road. A contractor visited and scraped the surface of the road’s asphalt leaving it in worse condition than when he arrived. He then left the village and in the end the staff of the Department of Villages had to fix the road themselves.
The villagers also mentioned that when NGOs receive funding for projects, they keep a significant percentage of the funds for themselves and do not spend it on the project. One example they could give concerned an NGO named the “union of producers of animals kept for breeding”. For each healthy calf, 65 YTL was paid. The NGO kept 15 YTL while the villagers received 40 YTL. There was also a one time membership fee of 100 YTL as well as a 3 YTL monthly fee.
As a result of these unfortunate experiences the villagers are wary of any proposals to establish a cheese-production workshop in their village, fearing that the project may not be completed. They are equally wary about receiving funding through intermediaries who end up deducting a significant portion for themselves leaving them with a meager income for their labor.
3.1.3 Büyükçatma
Büyükçatma is located along the road to Akyaka with easy access to Kars city center. The village sets itself apart from others by the villagers’ commitment to using organic farming methods, a practice they began themselves without help from the government or other institutions. Organic farming in Büyükçatma has been fairly successful. The village has had some success with stockbreeding, and there are several villagers with the knowledge and interest to significantly improve animal husbandry practices. Photo: Ali Kural
Illustration 3.14: Farm houses in Büyükçatma. A conversation with a village woman gave some insight into their situation. This woman came to Büyükçatma from another village to the north of Kars and found the residents to be fairly uneducated and illiterate. She was also surprised by the number of unemployed people in the village, because in the village she came from almost everyone has graduated from high school and has worked as a teacher after graduation. Her family is more prosperous than others in the village and they send her two daughters to a boarding school in Kars. They visit Istanbul several times per year and may return there permanently if their financial situation in the village does not improve.
Since the woman’s children left for boarding school, she has not found time to work outside of the home, but she believes that other women in the village would be willing to work in a dairy to increase their household’s income. While the men of the village feel that women should work
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 32 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
only if they can keep up with their household duties and childcare, this woman believed that if both the husband and wife are earning money for the household the husband should share in the domestic duties. In general the women are not involved in the field work, a job they consider to belong to the men.
Stockbreeding Every farm in the village seems to have Simmental cows in good health. Brucella disease hit the village stock in the 1990s but the animals have now recovered and the village did not lose a single animal to disease last year. Farmers are working hard to breed their cows to improve the quality of their stock and increase milk production. The effectiveness of artificial insemination is similar to that in other villages: out of every ten cows inseminated, four conceive.
The villagers are regularly vaccinating their animals and keeping a close watch on the animals’ health. Interestingly, the villagers vaccinate their animals four times per year against foot and mouth disease instead of the standard fall and spring shots. In addition to the Photo: Ali Kural two shots given by the Department of agriculture, they also have their animals Illustration 3.15: A recently born calf. injected twice by private veterinarians. They believe that the animals may still get sick after the two shots from the Department. Private veterinarians are easily accessible as there is more than one practicing in the vicinity and come quickly when called by the villagers. When they visit, they first inspect the animals and then give the vaccination shots. They also give the villagers a guarantee that the animals will live for at least eight months following the shot.
The vaccination shots given by the private veterinarians are 1.5 YTL, the same price as those given by the Department of Agriculture. If the private veterinarians come after they are called about a sick animal, the visit costs about 50 YTL. However, since they immediately come to the village when called the cost of the visit is acceptable to the villagers. Also, in some cases the private veterinarians keep a notebook to record services and payments and will allow villagers to make payments in installments. The villagers state that compared to the price of the animals the health care costs are negligible.
The villagers are aware that their barns do not comply with good standards for barns but say that they do not have the financial resources to improve the barns’ condition. They are hoping to receive credit without interest from the state to be able to construct better barns. In addition, in the 2006-2007 season the farmers have worked hard to produce more feed grain.
The price of cows has decreased significantly over the last five years from 1100 YTL to 800 YTL. At the same time price of gas has risen from 0.7 to 2.3 YTL. The villagers claim that the reason for this decrease relates to the cows being imported from Georgia. In many cases the
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 33 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
cows are imported illegally, do not undergo thorough health examinations, and are taken directly to the slaughterhouse.
Pastureland and animal nutrition The location of Büyükçatma’s pasture land, seven kilometers away from the village center, is a considerable disadvantage. In the summer the cows must walk that distance to and from the pastures every day, significantly lowering their milk production. A pasture management committee has not been established in the village as there is currently no pasture improvement project underway.
Animal feed is expensive and there is no subsidy for it. The villagers are trying to purchase it on their own but it is too costly for them. They buy 50 kg of animal feed brought in from another city for 19 YTL. The farmers’ credit cooperative sells the feed at a higher price of 24 YTL. The supply is limited and by September the price of animal feed rises to 30 YTL.
The villagers would like facilities which would distribute clean drinking water to their animals. At one point they had received imported cows from the government. However, at the time there was no drinking water for the animals and the villagers were obligated to water them at a small lake nearby which was Photo: Ali Kural polluted. The animals contracted tuberculosis from drinking the lake water and almost all of them died. Illustration 3.16: A stable in Büyükçatma.
One villager had lived in Istanbul for a period of time working as a mini-bus driver but did not liked the city and returned to the village. He claimed that the villagers’ biggest challenge is feeding the animals because of the distance to the pastures and the expensive, unsubsidized animal feed. The villagers are trying to maintain their herds but at best they have to sell 10 animals out of 20 to be able to care for the rest of the stock. They would like to receive subsidies for animal feed to avoid having to sell their animals. Another villager mentioned that he had once been interested in building a modern barn to house 50 cows, but under the current conditions he has no need for it.
Agriculture and Organic Farming 14 farmers in the village are applying organic farming methods, supported by the Department of Agriculture. Once a farmer decides to use organic farming methods, the farm is registered with the Department. After a one-year trial period a certificate is issued to the farmer
The farmers decided to adopt organic farming practices on their own because they saw the harm that fertilizers cause to the soil, degrading its quality, while decreasing its effectiveness over time. The damage that was caused was not only in the fields. Fertilizers also badly affected the amount of honey that the villagers’ beehives produced. Village residents were informed about
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 34 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II the benefits of organic farming through brochures and handouts that were distributed by the Department and found the information logical. After two years of transition the farmers are happy with the results of organic farming.
The villagers have founded an association as part of the organic farming project. They are planting vetch, alfalfa and sanfoin. They also grow wheat as there is a market for organically produced wheat in Istanbul. The “Istanbul Public Bread Factory” has purchased almost their entire crop at about 580 YTL per ton, about twice the price of regular wheat. The market for organic wheat has expanded and become significant in the past two years.
Every farm in the village is planting on average 200 dönüm, or 1500 decares. As Büyükçatma’s land has been surveyed and titles have been distributed, some of this planted land has been rented from former inhabitants who have left the village and are now living elsewhere.
Last year the villagers received a 92 percent yield from wheat, but had a negative experience with planting high-fat “keten” seed that they were given for free. Ten tons of seed were planted in late May but 98 percent of the crop was lost. Although the reason for the loss was age and lack of viability of the seeds given to them, the villagers are reluctant to plant keten seed again.
The table below shows the crops planted in the village in 2006 and those that will be planted in 2007.
Crops planted in 2006 Crops to be planted in 2007 (1 dönüm = 7,5 decares) 50 dönüm of high-fat keten seed Will not plant keten seed 150 dönüm of barley Considering decreasing to 50 dönüm 150 dönüm of wheat Increasing to 300 dönüm 100 dönüm of oats Will plant sanfoin seeds instead
The farmers in Büyükçatma are not planting Hungarian vetch, as they consider the seeds expensive at 1.5 YTL per kg. The villagers have a good relationship with Yusuf Bey, the head of the Department of Agriculture, who is supporting the development of organic farming in the village.
Potential for production of agricultural products in the village
• Dairy production. A good market is not available for the milk produced in the village. Production is also affected by seasonal changes. The price of milk is 0.25 – 0.30 YTL per kilo, and is purchased by a merchant from Kars. He runs a mobile dairy every summer near the village. The dairies fix the price of milk they purchase in the village at levels they prefer by using a cash advance system, giving cash at the beginning of the season and agreeing with the villagers to purchase their milk at the end of the season.
The village’s level of milk production is 3 tons per day during the highest season between June and August. 70 to 80 households are involved in milk production and together they
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 35 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
earn about 900 YTL for the season, which is low. Every house has a machine to separate whole and non-fat milk. The villagers do not have knowledge of cheese production but they do produce butter.
The farmers have established an association called ‘Protection and Improvement of Natural Products’ and are trying to involve farmers from other villages. The members of the association shared their ideas with the Department of Agriculture and asked for a slaj machine. The director was very positive and promised to support them. If they can receive the machine they will be able to provide better feed for their animals.
• Bee-keeping and honey production. Bee keeping is a centuries-old practice in the area. Five to six households are currently keeping bees in Büyükçatma but their numbers are likely to increase as other village households have been impressed by the benefits of honey production. The village has about 200 beehives, and each hive produces approximately 30 kg of honey in a season. The normal production rate of Caucasian bees is higher, at 50 kg, but in Büyükçatma the Caucasian bees have been mixed with bees from the Black Sea Region, decreasing their quality. This mixing has occurred due to the activities of migrant bee-keepers who arrive in the area with different breeds of bees, some of which carry diseases.
Very recently the village has established a union of bee keepers, but as it is a new association its influence is not strong. Three years ago the village sent a letter to the Department of Agriculture stating that migrant bee keepers should be prohibited from coming to Kars as they are harming honey production. The union is also considering taking the issue to the Governor. They claim that other cities do not allow migrant bee- keepers on their territory but in Kars influential people interfere and the migrant bee- keepers are allowed to remain.
The territory of a bee is approximately 3.5 kilometers, so if migrant bee-keepers settle within a seven kilometer radius of the village their bees can intermingle with those belonging to the villagers. Caucasian bees have several qualities that separate them from the bees held by the migrant bee-keepers. The villagers claim the Caucasian breed is harder working than other bees and is active for more hours per day. They also have a longer mouth tube enabling them to extract more pollen from the flowers indigenous to the area. The intermixing of the Caucasian bees with other breeds reduces the number of bees with those desirable characteristics and lowers the production levels of the hives. Some villagers have addressed this problem by purchasing queen bees each year from a farm in Posof that produces Caucasian bees. These queen bees have the capacity to positively transform a hive.
The migrant bee keepers also employ other practices that the Ministry of Agriculture has been trying to prevent. They use glucose instead of natural sugar for honey production and also use use carcinogenic insecticides. The honeycombs they use are made of a type of wax mixed with plastic and are not TSE (Turkish standards institute) approved. The honeycombs used in Büyükçatma, or “lis” as they are called, are pure wax. “Lis” produced by a company in Muğla in the west Aegean, and is the only TSE approved
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 36 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
producer in Turkey. In order for the honey to be organic, however, the honeycombs must be produced by the bees a practice which is rare in the villages.
3.1.4 Boğatepe
Boğatepe village is within the borders of Susuz County. It has a steppe climate and the altitude is above 2000 meters. The village is known in Kars for the quality of its dairy products and stockbreeding practices that are well above the standard in the region.
Boğatepe village has inherited the tradition of stockbreeding and making dairy products from the Russians and Malakans (an ethnic group from Georgia) who settled in the area in the 18th and 19th centuries. The stables and farm houses in the village are primarily from the Russian period although there are also a few modern structures. They are generally well-built and well- ventilated.
Boğatepe is better organized for dairy production than any other village and clearly stands out in the Province. Three of the dairies are registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and produce Kars cheese that is exported outside Turkey. Unfortunately demand at this time is apparently too low to keep the dairies operating at more than 50 percent of their capacity.
One of the farm compounds is owned by a villager named Paşa Amca. His compound has stables with cattle and horses as well as an unregistered dairy. The cattle are kept in a modern, well-ventilated stable built recently. Paşa Amca claimed that since he did not have enough cattle, he did not open his second, older stable this year, resulting in too many animals being crowded into the modern barn. This practice affected the health of the cattle and decreased their milk productivity.
Paşa Amca employs one worker and his two sons help with caring for the animals and maintaining the stables. This work keeps them Photo: Ali Kural fairly occupied during the winter, while the women mainly do housework. Paşa Amca’s Illustration 3.17: Dairy facilities in Pasa Amca’s farm dairy is well-equiped to process milk and compound. These facilities are currently unused in produce butter and cheese. The cheese is winter. produced in the summer months when the milk is plentiful. However it is possible to produce cheese or butter in the winter as well.
Overall he seems to be well informed about the Department of Agriculture’s requirements for dairy production and he is in the process of completing paperwork to apply for permits to produce marketable dairy products like many other households in the village. The family also owns a shop in the city of Kars where they are able to sell their products.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 37 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Understanding and implementing the requirements for better marketing of dairy products is a priority. However because of low demand increasing rural incomes will necessitate improved animal husbandry practices. Boğatepe’s villagers are industrious, productive and entrepreneurial, and the village’s development potential is encouraging.
3.2 Revitalization of carpet weaving and traditional handicrafts
3.2.1 Koçköyü
Overview Koçköyü encompasses 350 dwellings and has a resident population of 1830. The literacy rate is notably high in comparison with other villages. The road from Kars Centre to Koçköyü, a dirt road which will be covered with asphalt in the spring of 2007, is dotted with picturesque places, such as streams, villages, and Russian-era houses. Carpet making is the main activity in the village. However, both women and men mentioned that this talent does exist in neighboring villages as well. Revitalizing this craft will have an immediate effect on the villages in proximity of Koçköyü.
The village has a primary and secondary school with 200 students attending who reside in Koçköyü and 50 students who attend from neighboring villages. The villagers would like a high school but the minimum number of students required is 40 and the village only has 25. There are several vacant buildings in the village that could serve as a third primary/ secondary school or a high school.
The villagers would like a high school to be opened in the village. They have applied to the education department and they have received an answer stating that minimum of 40 students are required for a high school. The villagers state that counting the farms around the village there would be more than 40 students. Koçköyü is located at the Photo: Ali Kural center of a transportation node and villagers who want to go to Arpaçay come to Illustration 3.18: The village of Kockoyu. Koçköyü to get on the bus network.
The villagers claim that they live at the subsistence level. They barter with traveling salesmen that come to the village, exchanging dairy products for vegetables. The problem of dairies working with a cash advance system was mentioned here as the cause of the low rates at which milk is sold.
Stockbreeding, Agriculture and Organic Farming
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 38 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
All villages are engaged in stockbreeding and want to develop their stock of cattle. Koçköyü is no exception. The municipality’s veterinarian helps the villagers with their animals. Şap has decreased significantly and the villagers claim that they get the second shots on the animals. The veterinarian at the Municipality does it for them at a cost of about 5 YTL.
The land in the village has been surveyed and titles have been distributed to the owners. There are no pasture improvement projects in the village and farmers are unaware of the program. They have their own pastures where they take their animals after June 15th. There is a nine-member farmers’ protection committee in the village.
In the village, “tezek” or dried manure is the main source of energy for heating the houses in winter. When asked about replacing tezek with coal and utilizing the refuse as manure in the fields, the villagers are hesitant and make a rough estimation that for 30 decares of field about ten packs of fertilizer, equivalent of 500 kg are needed. The cost of 500 kg fertilizer is 250 YTL. At the moment, two tons of coal which would not be sufficient for one year costs 300 YTL. The villagers claim that close to four tons per house per year are needed. With tezek, three galak or roughly 2.5 tons would be sufficient.
The land of the village is considered arid and there is no irrigation system. There is a stream, however, which produces healthy fish. The villagers claim that 80 percent of their land is good quality and fertile. They also state that when they use fertilizer they have a 60 percent increase in their harvest. They have no knowledge of organic farming practices.
Revival of carpet weaving From autumn 2001 to spring 2002, Koçköyü had a carpet factory which was operational for only one winter season. The factory was established in the municipality building, a three story concrete structure typical of many government office buildings. The municipal offices are on the top floor, and the ground floor and the first floor were occupied by the factory. A dining hall was set up in a large room, and machines were set up in the rest of the rooms. The owner brought the designs and wool with him. He set up iron and steel machines which needed less space than the wooden ones the villagers typically use.
There were a total of 32 machines at the factory. On average, three women worked at each machine and there were 90 women working. Work started at 8:00 in the morning and finished at 5:00 in the afternoon. He gave breakfast and lunch at the factory and organized a minibus system Photo: Ali Kural to pick up workers from their homes. 60 Illustration 3.19: Tool used for spinning thread. million TL to 70 million TL per person were paid when each carpet was finished. It took three women 30 to 40 days to finish one carpet. The size of the carpets ranged from two
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 39 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
square meters to 12 square meters. Ten or more 12 square meter carpets were produced at the factory, and the rest were mid-sized. At that time the minimum wage was 120 million TL. The women were paid about half that amount and were not covered by social security. Only the heating service man and two cooks were covered by social security, but as they found out later, only for 45 days. The owner of the factory lectured the women employees about Chinese workers whose productivity was very high and wages very low.
Toward the end of the season the owner claimed that he was unable to sell the carpets and had difficulties paying the workers, who asserted that he was not paying for the carpets if there were any defects in the weaving or the framing. One villager suspected that the owner opened the factory just to receive the government subsidy for factories operating in economically depressed provinces.
When the spring came the men did not want their wives to continue working at the factory, claiming they were needed to work in agriculture. This was a pretext, as women do not generally work in the fields. They go to the high plateau (yayla) with the cattle herds and produce milk, cheese and other products. One villager estimated that the cost of moving to the plateau is about 200 YTL (including transportation and other expenses) and the value of products they bring back at the end of the season is about 400 YTL.
The viewpoints of women differed markedly from the men’s. The establishment and closure of the carpet factory changed life for a while. Many women went to work in the factory, although some did not on account of their domestic work or lack of someone to take over childcare duties. The service bus gathered the workers from their houses every morning and brought them back home in the evening. They ate their lunch in the factory. On the whole, the women were less irritated with what happened in the factory than the men. They did complain about the low pay, the lack of insurance Photo: Ali Kural and the labor-intensive work, but they were calm in discussing these issues. The men, with a bit of Illustration 3.20: Carpet with a traditional anger, considered the whole process an exploitation design made from undyed wool. of their wives’ effort.
The women were paid on the basis of daily work. They mentioned how tired they were after work and how carpet-weaving harmed their hands. Since the equipment for carpet-making was fully provided by the owner and the materials used were different from those that the women usually use, the thinner threads forced the women to put more knots for the same carpet than the ones they typically produce with the natural thread they spin from sheep wool. They were working harder to produce one carpet, but earning less.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 40 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
The strongest complaint related to the lack of social security. The women said the factory owner could at least have covered their insurance which he did not do. They kept reiterating, “We left our babies and children at home and could hardly find someone to look after them. In addition to the low wages, the owner did not even consider paying our insurance. So it was not worth working in the factory.”
The low wages are the crucial factor explaining the dislike for the work in the factory. Carpet- making is a mix of skill and art, sitting behind the weaving loom for a month to produce one carpet and generating the traditional designs in every inch of the carpet. The factory owner brought his own designs in addition to his profit-maximizing attitude and observations about the Chinese workers all of which aggravated the women in the village.
The economic value of carpet-weaving One villager could remember the names of four designs authentic to the village: Adiler, Kilise, Kuyruklu ejderha and Kafkas. The design on the monochrome carpets (shown in illustration 3.20) is “adiler”. The villager also stated that years ago Koçköyü together with several villages in the area produced carpets that merchants would come to buy. One other village also had good quality carpets. The other neighboring villages’ carpets were not as well-made, but the merchants bought them as well.
The team saw three different versions of approximately the same designs and frame bands rendered in alternating colors in the home of one villager. The women weavers had prepared a drawing on which the carpet’s central design is based. The drawing with ball-point pen on millimeter paper indicated the colors on the carpet’s different areas. All three carpets had already been sold or were about to be sold. One had been purchased by the Koçköyü Municipality and another was almost purchased by the Arpaçay Municipality but the municipality wanted a sales receipt. The villagers do not have official receipts, but it may be possible to give buyers a simple sales receipt with no financial value. The Köçköyü municipality also wanted a receipt but the issue was resolved by obtaining one from a carpet shop in Kars. The two Municipalities wanting carpets and receipts for it are actually an outcome of the Governor calling the Kaymakam and instructing him to take action to keep the skilled carpet weavers actively engaged in the craft following a presentation by the IIUD team. Photo: Ali Kural A six square meter carpet requires 12 kilograms of washed and combed (processed) wool, and one sheep can produce 1.5 kilograms of raw wool. At present, one kg of wool costs 2 YTL, so the cost of wool is not overly high, but the villagers state that increasing Illustration 3.21: Washed and dried wool. production requires obtaining more
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 41 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
wool from the market or from their sheep. They can wash and comb the wool on their own. Obtaining dyes is another matter. Apparently root dyes have become difficult to find and the villagers are looking to modern chemical dyes as the alternative. A carpet can be woven by three women in one month and considering that the net minimum wage is slightly above 400 YTL, the cost of labor then is 1200 YTL. This accounts for the 1600 YTL minimum cost figure quoted by the villagers.
Koçköyü has a real potential for carpet making and transmitting the craft to younger generations. There are a significant number of women and some men who excel at the craft. The women mentioned that while not every girl or woman in the village knows how to weave carpets, they can easily learn. Interestingly, one woman mentioned that some of the women did not know how to weave a carpet before the opening of the factory. The men anticipate that this skill could be a source of income should higher demand materialize. Consequently they support the women and say if there is a demand their wives and daughters may set the weaving loom in the house and start producing. Some even say they could pitch in if necessary to meet production targets.
The women’s concerns about carpet-making differed from the men’s. Although women were willing to work, their main concerns are their housework and children. The men say the housework is finished at about 10:00 AM. They pointed out that they needed the assistance of their daughters, mothers, or mothers-in-law with the housework in order to free time for carpet weaving. Although it is a lot of work, they would do it to earn a supplementary source of income. However, without a steady supply of thread it takes too much time to spin wool and it is almost impossible for one person to do the job on her own.
Breadmaking In the village there is an old bread factory Illustration 3.22: A mother and daughter weaving a carpet. that closed down ten years ago. The building is a two-story reinforced concrete structure with additional space to be used as a garage. On the ground floor of the main building are three rooms used for the production of bread, fine sieving flour, and mixing bread dough, and a large room where the oven is located. On the upper floor there is an apartment for the bakery manager. Whether the equipment is still in operating condition needs to be assessed by a qualified technician. The villagers are now producing their bread at home, yet almost everyone agreed that there would be a market if the bread factory could be reopened. Nevertheless they have not considered forming a cooperative to operate the factory. This is an issue that will need to be explored with them in order to build their awareness of the benefits they can derive by working collaboratively.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 42 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
4 ECO-TOURISM POTENTIAL
Photo: Ali Kural
Illustration 4.1: View of Cilehane in the summer.
Kars’ potential as a tourism destination remains largely untested and its assets underutilized. Tourism development in the Province has been limited by remoteness, lack of good access by ground and air transport, absence of a marketing strategy, insufficient financial resources and inadequate accommodations. In addition, the border-closure with Armenia in Doğukapı stands as an obstacle to cross-border tourism, increasing travel time and discomfort. It is vital to the region’s development to attract tourists from nearby countries and to formulate tourism routes across boundary lines by establishing cooperation between national travel agencies or involving international tourism organizations. The historical richness of the region is reflected in its cultural diversity and the natural beauty of its landscapes which extends across national borders.
The aim of the tourism component of this project is to contribute to the development of Kars province through utilizing tourism potential and improving the hygienic conditions of selected villages. The September 2006 report discussed the importance of tourism corridors and highlighted several key areas for development. This year, the project team defined five corridors in and around Kars province that have strong tourism potential because of their historical and natural sites and cultural diversity. Along these corridors several villages offer local food made according to traditionally recipes using locally grown agricultural products. Annex II details the travel time and distance in kilometers of each corridor.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 43 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
4.1 Progress of tourism development in Kars Province
The team discussed the obstacles to the development of tourism in the region with the Director of Culture and Tourism and observed that the key challenges facing the Department are the lack of qualified employees and the absence of a well-organized information collection system. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture prepared a Master Plan report for the development of tourism in Kars province at the end of the 1990s, but the Department was unable to find either the hard copy or the digital format. The Department is the quietest public office the team had observed in Kars. In the entrance of the main building of the Directorate of Culture and Tourism there is a small shop selling various books and journals about the regions natural and historical assets.
A local poet contributed extensive information on the historical sites and natural assets in the region. Besides the villages and historical sites he mentioned the thermal springs close to Kars.
4.2 Corridor 1: Kars-Çildir Lake-Posof
4.2.1 General features of the corridor
This corridor is strategically located, running 205 kilometers from Kars Municipality to the border crossing between Turkey and Georgia at the Türkgözü gate. The road is moderately good and has two lanes of traffic. The landscape is quite attractive and the altitude increases in the northern segment. The road around Çıldır Lake is picturesque with the view of the Lake and the surrounding mountainous terrain. There are very few villages or settlements along the corridor, except closer to Çıldır Lake where several villages are concentrated near the interregional road.
None of the villages selected for pilot projects are located along this corridor. There is however, one village close to Çıldır Lake that a reasonably good access road to the lakeshore. Special local bread can be produced in this village.
4.2.2 Opportunities and challenges
Çıldır Lake is the key natural asset that this corridor offers. The Lake area has the potential to attract visitors seeking a quiet, beautiful place to rest, eat, take boat tours, go fishing or observe wildlife, in particular the wide variety of migratory birds. The time tourists spend at the lake can be extended by promoting fishing or other water-related activities. Facilities catering to these activities are currently lacking except for an ill-equipped fish restaurant. Photo: Ali Kural
The deepest point of the Lake is about 25 Illustration 4.2: Lake Cildir is home to a wide variety of meters, and it is home to eleven or twelve migratory birds.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 44 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
different types of carp (sazan) and trout (alabalık ailesi). These include: • Carp family: Sarıbalık, Şafak, Aynalı sazan, Kızılkanat, Dımışka, Karabalık, Kefal. • Trout family: Dağalası, Gölalası
The restaurant, “Günay Restoran” well-located near the lake and easily noticed from the road. It is 60 km from Kars Municipality. Moreover, the small side road (less than 1 km) leading to the restaurant passes fields covered with colorful wildflowers and plants. However, the restaurant holds only 30 people at maximum capacity and needs substantial restoration to be attractive to tourists groups, particularly foreigners. It is open year round and serves fish and local fare. The owner of the restaurant has complained about the local municipality’s lack of investment in the area. He made a request for repairs to the side road leading to the restaurant but the request was never considered.
Despite this drawback, the owner seems relatively prosperous and the business seems fairly strong. He, recently, renovated the toilets located outside the main building at a cost of 3000 YTL, a price that seemed quite high for the Photo: Ali Kural amount of work done and the standard cost of labor in Kars. The owner keeps a Illustration 4.3: The interior of the Lake restaurant visitors notebook and maintains contact with his customers. Apart from international tourists from a range of countries including China and Sweden, the majority of visitors are public officials traveling to Kars Municipality and in the surrounding area on official business. Some domestic tourists stop at the restaurant as well. The owner mentioned that a caravan of German tourists would be visiting the area and living next to the restaurant for one month. This seems to be a regular summer activity, and the owner stated that every week on average, one small van of tourists comes to the area for a short period of time, camping close to the restaurant. These groups most often are led by a Turkish guide. Upon request the restaurant staff organizes boat tours for the tourists. In addition, the restaurant served a number of foreign researchers visiting the Lake to observe the various bird species.
The State also owns facilities near the Lake, including a relatively new guesthouse and a small fishing dock for rowboats. The State used to run a restaurant which is not currently open. The area used to be a summer vacation location for public officials. It is significant that a guesthouse already exists near the Lake, although it may not be open to the public.
A significant improvement in the sanitary conditions in the Lake Cildir area would attract a larger number of tourists. The existing kitchen and the food preparation equipment of the restaurant must be renovated or replaced and the meals should be cooked using healthier techniques. In addition, the lack of services for tourists may discourage some visitors and tourist agencies from including the area as a stop during their travels. The willingness of local people to
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 45 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
work to improve the site would make it possible to initiate a tourism development project in this attractive area.
The Çıldır-Posof section of the corridor is quite different than the Kars-Çıldır section. The increasing altitude is noticeable, as is the changing climate. The vegetation also changes from short colorful plants to various colors and species of tall green trees and pine trees native to the region. The poor weather during the team’s visit obscured some of the views, but it is obvious that the landscape is quite beautiful and the transition in scenery from north to south dramatic. There are small restaurants and summer plateau settlements along this part of the corridor.
4.2.3 Evaluation
Çıldır Lake is a tourist attraction that has potential for an increased number of yearly visitors, but investments in tourist facilities and services are badly needed. The Lake and its surroundings offer a relaxing destination for day trips or longer vacations, with opportunities for hiking, fishing, cycling, bird watching, and sampling local food, and could easily be included as part of a tour to Kars Province for regional and international tourists enhancing the Province’s tourism potential. Its proximity to Kars and the lack of tourism infrastructure in Ardahan would enable Kars to capture the larger share of tourist overnight stays other than those staying in camping areas.
Illustration 4.4: View of the lakeshore.
4.3 Corridor 2. Posof-Susuz-Çakmak-Kars
4.3.1 General features of the corridor
From the Türkgözü border, the Posof-Susuz-Çakmak-Kars corridor is relatively shorter than the Posof-Çildir Lake-Kars corridor. After passing through the Türkgözü gate heading south, the corridor follows the same route as Corridor 1 until Çamlıçatak, after which there is a junction
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 46 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
heading in one direction to Susuz and in the other to Çıldır Lake. The distance between Kars and Susuz is 20 km. The quality of the two roads is about the same. After the junction, the landscape along the corridor is much less attractive. According to the Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the Cilavuz cave, Lake Aygir and the Azat Tumulus are the major historical and environmental attractions along this route. The Cilavuz cave is close to the small Cilavuz River and dates back to pre-historic times. Lake Aygir is located to the northwest of Kars with a surface area of about three square kilometers and a depth in some parts of 30 meters. The lake is fed by underground springs. Azat Hoyuk is located within the boundaries of Azat Village, and the whole settlement dates back to the prehistoric period. The tumulus is about 8 km away from Kars. Close to Susuz is an elongated plateau that is used as pastureland for farm animals during the summer. The animals belong to the villagers who return to the high plateau every year.
A river follows a short section of this corridor, creating a beautiful landscape. The Directorate of Tourism and Culture informed the team that this river is full of trout and there are large green areas just beyond the nearby hills.
4.3.2 Selected villages along the corridor
The project team has identified Çakmak on the periphery of Kars as one of the villages selected for a detailed assessment of the feasibility of a pilot initiative in the quest for the promotion of biodiverse agriculture and the improvement of rural incomes and living conditions. The village offers both agricultural products and architectural assets. The village is about ten kilometers from Kars centre, an advantage to attract passing tourists who can observe daily life and agricultural production while visiting the well-preserved local Russian houses and the traditional layout of the settlement. The living conditions of this village are among the best in the region.
4.3.3 Opportunities and challenges
During the visit to the plateau settlements the team observed that the pastureland there is very fertile. The team also visited some houses and observed the daily activities during the summer months. Lack of sanitation is a serious problem. The houses are only used for the short summer season and lack heat, sewerage and piped water supply. Rainstorms leave the whole settlement full of mud. There is very little tourism potential in this area of the corridor. Photo: Ali Kural Çakmak village, however, provides interesting tourism opportunities, as this village is famous for its special local Illustration 4.4: Daily activities in one of the plateau product, Çakmak cheese. Almost every settlements. villager is experienced in cheese- making.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 47 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Unfortunately, the market potential of this product has not been fully realized. The village also possesses historical and architectural assets. The well-preserved settlement layout, the traditional house construction and the link to the Russian period and its association with the Malokan ethnic group may interest certain groups of tourists, historians, and anthropologists.
The village’s proximity to Kars City gives it an advantage over other villages in attracting tourists on day trips. The village women are skilled in the production of traditional handicrafts and could be organized to market their crafts to tourists.
4.3.4 Evaluation and Suggestions
While Corridor 1 is more attractive to visitors coming from the north, Corridor 2 is better suited for day trips because of its proximity to Kars City Center. Çakmak village offers an interesting potential with its special character and its well-organized, industrious and productive residents.
4.4 Corridor 3. Kars-Ani Ruins
4.4.1 General features of the corridor
This corridor, beginning in Kars City Center and ending at the World Heritage Site of Ani, is central to the development of cultural tourism in Kars Province. The attractions of Kars City Center include the fortress, historic churches, an interesting settlement pattern and architecture from the Ottoman and the Russian periods. The medieval city of Ani is the major cultural tourism attraction of Kars province, 42 kilometers from the center of Kars, drawing a large number of tourist buses and individual visitors in the spring and summer seasons. The quality of the access road could be improved, but the team observed road repairs in progress and noticed a number of small shops open along the route. The Photo: Ali Kural
Ministry of Tourism and Culture is working to Illustration 4.5: A rainbow over part of the Ani ruins. improve the site, restore monuments and develop tourism-related services and facilities.
A small body of water named Mışköy Lake is located close to Ani. The lake is known as a “lake of four seasons” because, although it is small, it does not dry up in the summer season.
4.4.2 Selected villages along the corridor
The team believes that gradual awareness among the villagers of the area’s tourism potential will trigger a transformation of the area. As they economically and socially benefit from the changes, it is likely they will become more invested in preserving the site and welcoming visitors.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 48 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
However, the current attitude of the villagers is one of apathy. Animals graze around the ruins and inhabitants in the surrounding villages are poor and tend to steal rocks from the archaeological ruins to construct their houses, slowing the process of restoration.
4.4.3 Opportunities and challenges
The Ministry of Tourism and Culture is responsible for the management of the World Heritage Site and other historical and cultural assets. The Province lacks a strategic plan that would consider tourism in the context of the region’s cultural and historical assets and integrate it within the overall development strategy for the region. The approach to tourism remains very fragmented and ineffective.
The lack of professional security and qualified personnel is a serious issue for the Ani site and has led to a safety problem. Despite the fencing it is difficult to block the entry of individuals who are intent on penetrating or crossing into the area because of the size of the site. It takes close to two hours to walk around the grounds, take pictures and visit the various buildings, which makes the lack of facilities noticeable, particularly in the summer. The history of the monuments on the site stretches over 1500 years from the ninth to the thirteenth centuries. A prominent visitor’s center offering a good interpretation with 3-D models and interactive displays would go a long way towards enhancing the visitor’s experience of the site. A shop selling related books, maps, postcards and local souvenirs and handicrafts would complete the center and together with the café restaurant would provide a source of income for local villagers.
In terms of archaeological excavation of the Ani ruins, there is still much to be done. A substantial section of the medieval city is still to be fully excavated and studied by archaeologists and historians. A well- organized tourist route enriched by a World Heritage Site can be a major driver of economic growth and successful marketing of Photo: Ali Kural the Kars region while creating awareness of
Illustration 4.6: Archaeological excavation work still cultural heritage and networks for the remains on the Ani site. preservation of cultural assets.
Residents of Kars City Center are more successful in promoting and marketing their local products. In the market area of the city there are a number of specialty shops selling locally produced honey, cheese and other products. But there should also be shops for the sale of souvenirs and handicrafts and other local products at the entrance of the fortress, as well as an interpretation, a viewing point to see the city’s panorama, and maps and cards identifying the major landmarks.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 49 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
A strategic approach linking the major attractions of the region would highlight the Kars City– Ani Corridor. Currently the travel companies are paying little attention to the City while focusing on Ani. An awareness campaign promoting the tourism potential of the region would be very beneficial in safeguarding the cultural assets and involving local residents in tourism projects.
4.5 Corridor 4. Kars-Çilehane-Tunckaya-Kagizman-(can be followed to Igdir- Dogubeyazit)
4.5.1 General features of the corridor
The Kars-Çilehane-Tunckaya-Kagizman is the longest corridor surveyed by the team and has the most potential for eco-tourism. The corridor has ample natural beauty and the topography is constantly changing. One of the most fertile plains in the region, the Tikme Plain, is located on this route between Kars and Selim. There are various species of plants and flowers on the plain that enhance the attractive landscape.
Çilehane and Tunckaya are two villages in close proximity along the corridor. Tunckaya is located at the top of a high hill surrounded by a well-preserved fortress, while Çilehane is close to a river in the nearby valley and is easily accessible from the main road to Kars. The distance between the villages could be much shorter if the side road to Tunckaya was improved. The road is very narrow, poorly covered with gravel, and potentially dangerous in winter, limiting accessibility to the hilltop village.
Çilehane has easier access and a more pleasant temperature due to the microclimate created in the valley. En route to Çilehane, after the fields of flowers, the road climbs up reddish hills dotted by green trees. After a short distance the road descends towards the small valley formed by a long river where Çilehane is located, giving picturesque views Photo: Ali Kural of the village surrounded by hills. The road follows the river for about three kilometers Illustration 4.7: The village of Tunckaya within the before reaching Çilehane. ruins of an old fortress.
Tunckaya and Çilehane villages could serve as an anchor for ecotourism development. It takes slightly more than an hour to get to Tunckaya village by car and the access road badly needs to be paved with asphalt for the convenience and security of residents and visitors.
4.5.2 Tunckaya hilltop village
Tunckaya village is located within the ruins of an old fortress with a spectacular view of the surrounding hills and valleys, including Çilehane below. The entire village is surrounded by the
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 50 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
fortress and protected from the wind by its thick walls. Although the fortifications are still standing, some parts have provided a quarry for the villagers to build their houses as it was obviously difficult for the residents to carry stones from other areas up the hill. The houses of locals did not seem particularly well-kept. The streets are covered with gravel. There is an old mosque and a church facing each other on top of two mounds within the village. The mosque sits at the center of the village while the church is a short distance away from the settlement. Both of the buildings have only main walls and the interior spaces have disappeared. The mosque is filled with animal dung. Fortunately, the remnants of the “Mihrab” has been somewhat preserved. The villagers told the team that there used to be a water/sewage system that extended underground from the entrance to the exit of the fortress. The canal was so high that a man could walk in it. Currently the villagers have another sewerage system and are uninterested in the location of the old canal. Over the years some of the villagers did link their sewage system to the canal and it may have been gradually filled.
The village has a population of about 600 and many residents have migrated to western Turkey. Some go to Istanbul for the winter and return in the summer. Several villagers are involved in a local transport business by “dolmus” (small bus/minibus) in Istanbul. The only official historical information about the area the team could find was the description on the small plate at the entrance of the village and the fact that the name of the village had been changed recently from Camuslu to Tunckaya.
About one kilometer away from Tunckaya the river crosses the side road, creating two distinct areas. On one side, the village women go to the river to wash clothes and sheep wool. These tasks are usually performed by young girls before they marry, while they are preparing for a dowry and a new house. On the opposite side of the washing area, beekeepers have settled, and villagers fish for the abundant trout in the river. This area located on the bank of the river is a social meeting place and is bustling Photo: Ali Kural with activity. Villagers are cooking, making Illustration 4.8: Women washing wool in the river near tea, conversing and enjoying themselves as Tunckaya. they engage in their tasks.
At the top of the hill the air is fresh and clean, and the 360 degree view of the plain filled with wildflowers is breathtaking. It is possible to walk along the river the entire distance between Tunckaya and Çilehane. This path can be developed as a very attractive trail for visitors and local residents alike.
4.5.3 Çilehane
Çilehane, 65 km from the center of Kars, is a picturesque village of 70 residences within the borders of Kağızman county and is fairly easily accessed due to its good asphalt road. It is
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 51 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II situated within a valley and has its own microclimate, protecting it from the harshness of the Kars winters. A stream runs through the village in all seasons. Cattle breeding is not practiced widely. The villagers prefer herding sheep as they have traditionally done. The sheep are kept inside barns during four months of the winter season. The moderate climate allows the sheep to spend more time outdoors, sometimes as late as December.
Çilehane is fairly close to the main road from Kars to Kagizman. Right after the junction on the left, there is a historic small caravanserai (han) that is still used by private owners, although its function has changed. It used to be a resting place for travelers, traders and local people out walking on stormy winter days. The facilities were primarily a hotel and a restaurant, with a barn for the travelers’ animals. Today, a family lives in the house, but it has the potential to be converted once more to a guest house with a large terrace. It is located very close to the main road to Kars City and buses between Kars and Kagizman regularly pass the house in the morning and afternoon, providing easy access to the city for residents. The village centre at a distance of 500 meters from the main road. The side road is flanked by tall green trees on both sides until it reaches the river that runs from Tunckaya and flows along the valley. The low flat hills surrounding Çilehane might be very suitable for trekking and mountain biking. The youth of the village are very knowledgeable about the area and could serve as guides for tourists.
The village is lush and green due to the mild climate. Various fruits and vegetables grow in and around the settlement, including pears, plums, apples, cherries and apricots. Although some villagers specialize in stock breeding, it is not the economic mainstay of the village. Villagers produce two types of cheese, White Cheese and Cecil Cheese, which are occasionally sold in Kars, as well as honey.
The villagers grow wheat, barley, "külgür" and a few other heirloom species of beans and wheat. There are two functional mills in the village: a "değirmen" to process wheat and a smaller "dink" to produce "bulgur", a traditional wheat product. Both structures are operational and well-kept. They run using the water from the stream. A channel system has been devised, diverting the stream when the mills are operating. Each house has a tandouri Photo: Ali Kural where they produce their own bread as Illustration 4.9: Interior of small mill with grindstone still well as traditional food. in operation.
A breed of apricot indigenous to the area is grown in the village in addition to plums and apples. The produce is collected from mid-July to mid-August. The fruit is then washed and dried for fifteen days in open air away from direct sunlight. The dried fruit is then stored for the winter. It can be eaten dry or can be cooked in hot water to make "hosaf," a popular dessert. Maintaining the fruit trees is relatively easy, requiring pruning in early spring and occasional watering.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 52 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
The planting of poplar trees for commercial purposes has recently been replacing the planting of fruit trees and is a cause for concern over the preservation of the area’s character and its biodiversity. More poplar trees can be planted per square meter. They need some maintenance upon planting and can be harvested in 8 -10 years. The wood is then sold in Kars or Kağızman. Currently there are no carpenters in the village.
Photo: Ali Kural The team had a chance to talk to one woman in her 30s who is the niece of a teacher and a Illustration 3.21: Dried fruit produced in Çilehane. university graduate about the daily life of local women and village traditions. She mentioned that the villagers exchange fruits and milk, and that neighborly relations are good. The villagers take care of each other and provide for those households lacking large gardens and animals.
The village has a population of 400-500 in 80 households. After 1983 outmigration of residents to western Turkey increased, but the population has now stabilized. Some of the men work in the construction sector as laborers, which is the main source of income besides local agricultural products. In almost every house there is one laborer on pension.
The level of education in the village is relatively high, and girls are encouraged to attend school. This is commendable considering the widespread belief in the region that educating girls is unnecessary. There is one kindergarten and one primary school teacher. One woman from the village attends university. Close to the village, there is a secondary school where 30 students are transported by a daily shuttle funded by Directorate of Education.
The birth rate has fallen as more women have begun to use birth control. However, the marriage age is quite low at 18, as it is in most rural areas. As soon as men return from their military service they get married. In Turkey, an old tradition in the villages requires the man to present a certain amount of money, the ‘baslik parasi’ to the girl’s parents so that they can carry out the wedding preparations. The team was told that the baslik parasi had passed out of use but the villagers had recently begun the practice again. The baslik parasi can be negotiated, and the increase in the prices of baslik parasi may be related to a decrease in the production of traditional handicrafts as some villagers are more eager to purchase manufactured products than to produce the goods themselves. A local groom recently paid 3000 YTL to marry the daughter of one of the villagers.
Until five or six years ago, the women of the village specialized in carpet weaving. The municipality sent an instructor from “halk egitim” to run carpet-weaving courses and villagers rented a space for the courses. The carpet benches were sent by the government. However, after the instructor left the women gave up weaving. At the moment there is one stone craftsman living and actively working in the village.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 53 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
In comparison to other villages, Çilehane has adequate social facilities. The Muhtar is well- respected and concerned for the well-being of the villagers. There is also a small village clinic with a nurse employed for emergency situations.
Photo: Ali Kural
Illustration 4.10: A view of Çilehane from the surrounding hills.
The team was able to gather some information on the oral history of the village. In Kurdish, the word “Cil” means “house”. The villagers stated that there are ruins close to the river running near the village. There used to be a small city state (beylik) in Tunckaya village and the ruler sent his captives to Çilehane to punish them. They stayed in Çilehane until their trials. Therefore, ‘Cile’ refers to suffering and ‘hane’ to house. 12 kilometers from Çilehane is another historic site called Yazılıkaya. The history of this site dates back 12,000 years. Prof. Dr. Ismail Dalkılıç conducted a field study and excavation in the area and found a substantial number of archaeological pieces, some of which are in the Kars museum.
The river near Çilehane overflowed and flooded the village not long ago on May 27th, 2007 destroying streets along with several houses and gardens. The flood also affected the river’s fish and the villagers complained that they will not be able to fish for carp for at least two years. Tunckaya, in contrast, has abundant fish. Another village in the area, Ortakoy, was affected much more severely by the flood than Çilehane because the source of the river starts very close to Ortakoy. Fortunately, the villagers from Ortakoy warned the Çilehane residents and they escaped from the low areas to the hill tops. No one was injured in the flood.
The village is the cleanest and most well-kept settlement of all of the villages visited by the team. The villagers were pleased to hear strategies for tourism development and regretted that no one had presented the idea before. They are eager to develop their village and host visitors. There are two vacant houses that might be suitable for this purpose. One is in the center of the village opposite the primary school. The village has a sewage system, and the muhtar says it would be easy to connect the house to the system. It used to be a bakery, but as all of the villagers could bake their own bread a bakery was not needed. It would be convenient to transform this house into a restaurant for tourists. The other house, on the top of a hill in the village, is in good-shape and has a garden next to it. The “han” at the entrance of Çilehane and this house on top of the hill are well-located to serve as hotels or guesthouses. Both are relatively secluded to offer some privacy to tourists while allowing them to feel connected to the village. The house on the hill is free for three months during the summer because the owner of the house spends his summers elsewhere. It is well equipped in terms of infrastructure and looks appealing from outside. The villagers will need to negotiate with the owner regarding the use of the house as a guest house.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 54 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
4.5.4 Evaluation
The high cultural and eco-tourism potential of the Kars-Tunckaya-Çilehane corridor warrants significant investment. The breathtaking scenery of the area is complemented by interesting historical sites. The local people are relatively educated, polite and receptive to new ideas to develop their villages. They also have a shared culture and history. The willingness of local youth to participate in development projects is a strong asset and they are enthusiastic at the prospect of tourism projects being developed in the village. Photo: Ali Kural Annex III shows a brochure of a tourism
project in the tow of Yusufeli. Several of the Illustration 4.11: The home of a schoolteacher in approaches to tourism development in Çilehane. Yusufeli could be applicable to projects in Çilehane.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 55 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 56 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
5 WORKPLAN FOR 2008
Over the course of the year, the IIUD team was faced with several challenges that required altering the schedule of the work plan in order to avoid waste of time and funds and keep the project on track.
1. The closure of the Kars airport substantially increased travel time as the team was forced to drive to Kars from Erzurum, a three-hour trip. 2. A stronger understanding of the issues threatening the biodiversity of the region gained from fieldwork led the team leader to decide to focus on issues related to agricultural and animal husbandry practices as a priority that had to be urgently addressed. We enlisted ICARDA’s advice and made an agreement for a joint mission in October following the Bairam holiday at the end of the month of Ramadan. 3. At TCF’s request, IIUD’s work on the Namik Kemal House was completed this year rather than spanning both years as originally planned.
The revised work plan shows the adjustment made to the scheduling of the following components:
• The land ownership study is being undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and the Office of the Cadastre. The IIUD team has already started assembling land tenure data for the selected villages and hopes to complete this task in the spring of 2008. • The Municipality’s greenbelt zone should be linked to the implementation of urban agriculture. However, the Mayor’s concern over the Namik Kemal House, which was late and over budget, detracted from work on other issues so the team decided to take up the greenbelt zone in 2008.
The first-year progress report was completed by the end of September and sent to TCF together with the financial report the first week of October.
Our work during the second year of the project will begin with the joint mission with ICARDA for which the funds have been committed and partly disbursed on both sides. The mission will take place October 21st to 26th, 2007. This mission is critical as its findings and recommendations will inform action at all levels: Governorate policies, Agriculture Department Programs, the Union of Stockbreeders activities, and the farmers’ animal husbandry practices.
The work on tourism development strategies is advancing according to a revised schedule due to the closure of the airport. The team proceeded to assess key thematic touristic assets and the preliminary delineation of a tourist corridor through the Kagizman district. Visits to two villages with high development potential and discussions with farmers were held. The planned October 2007 meeting with the Governor to review the outputs of the first year and outline the activities to be undertaken during the second year will take place on October 26th upon completion of the field mission with the ICARDA experts.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 57 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
In November working sessions will be held with Provincial and Municipal officials to discuss the impact on the economy of the Province and the City and to outline strategies for tourism promotion under alternative development scenarios. However, the wider workshop to discuss tourism in Kars Province was postponed until after the reopening of the airport to facilitate attendance of experts and other interested parties from outside the region.
In January and February 2008 policy recommendations on biodiverse agriculture and community-based initiatives will be finalized with the advice of the ICARDA experts and after discussions of all recommendations with the Department of Agriculture. The proposed initiatives will be presented to the Governor in May. The proposed schedule takes into consideration the need to provide timely inputs for preparing applications for foreign funded grants (EU, World Bank, UNDP, etc.), eligibility criteria for the grants and the deadlines for filing applications in 2008.
The IIUD team has started to assemble information on regional trends in tourism and transborder tours that may be of interest to the project’s strategic objectives in light of the EU sponsored plans and programs. Meetings will be held with the Governor and the Mayor in March and April 2008 to discuss how to capitalize on regional trends and planned projects in order to promote Kars as a destination for cultural and eco-tourism and provide touristic facilities needed in the City and the Province. Attracting private investors to finance and operate larger facilities and involving village communities in eco-tourism constitute pivotal components of the tourism development strategies we are preparing. An interim report on ecotourism routes and their interface with cultural tourism will be prepared. The report will discuss the location of tourism facilities and the potential for increased eco-tourism through thematic tours and projects in sites that are picturesque, adjacent to communities eager to participate in the projects and where the infrastructure needed, starting with clean, potable water, can be provided.
Upon completion of preliminary plans for pilot initiatives and their approval by the Governor and the Mayor, a dialogue will be initiated with SÜRKAL, Anadolu Kultur and other NGOs active in Kars to assess their interest in leading community-based initiatives in the city and pilot projects in the selected villages. Proposed activities will be revised as needed to facilitate NGO participation and expedite implementation so that by August 2008 detailed plans for proposed activities and projects can be finalized.
In July and August, a last round of joint visits to the selected villages will be undertaken depending on the availability of funding for the involvement of the ICARDA experts. The role of existing and newly formed CBOs in each village will be examined and adjustments made as needed to enhance their participation. Programs providing them with the managerial, technical and financial support they need to perform will be proposed and discussed with interested national NGOs and the Governorate.
In September 2008 a final report will be drafted integrating the outputs of the tasks undertaken during the project. This final document will be presented to the Governor and the Mayor. It will provide them with a coherent framework to promote development in the Province and the City based on safeguarding biodiversity, enhancing sustainability and supporting community-based development as its fundamental dimensions.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 58 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
The two interim reports, the first year progress report and the final report, will be translated into Turkish and presented to the Governor and the Mayor and submitted to the Christensen Fund. A working session will be held for senior officials followed by a wider dialogue with key stakeholders to present the final report in October 2008. We will make every effort to ensure that the objectives of the Christensen Fund are adequately reflected in the presentations and discussions.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 59 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 60 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 TASKS Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 1. Working sessions with senior local officials to review recommendations from the previous project 2. Discussion of options for a support unit for community- based development 3. Visits to selected villages to discuss components of pilot projects 4. Preparation of a workplan for the development of pilot projects in the villages 5. Management options for Community Center in the N.K. House 6. Discussion of the management plan for the N.K. Center with TCF and partners 7. Preliminary workplans presented to Governor and Mayor 8. Gathering relevant regional information from Turkish, EU and other sources 9. Preparation of Report on N.K. House and presentation of the findings 10. Preparation of Interim Report. 11. Reassessing guidelines for sustainable development and visits to ICARDA. 12. Second visit to selected villages 13. Discussion of strategies for Greenbelt and urban agriculture 14. Joint IIUD-ICARDA mission to Kars 14. Discussion of findings and recommendations of joint IIUD-ICARDA mission with the Governor
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 61 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
15. Land tenure study at selected sites 15. Workshop on sustainable tourism strategies 16. Preparation of First Year Progress Report 17. Meeting with Governor and Mayor to review outputs of previous year and the workplan for the second year 18. Inventory of key touristic assets and delineation of tourist routes 19. Working sessions to discuss the impacts of tourist routes 20. Policy recommendations on biodiverse agriculture and handicrafts 21. Exploration of transborder projects and potential for increased tourism 22. Dialogue with local and national NGOs to assess their interest in supporting pilot projects and social initiatives 23. Preparation of Interim Report II and presentation of the findings 24. Visits to selected villages with interested NGOs 25. Outline of implementation plan for selected community- based initiatives 27. Preparation of final report
28. Presentation of final report to the Province and Municipality
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 62 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
ANNEXES
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 63 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 64 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
ANNEX 1
Law No. 5179 of June 4, 2004 stipulates the requirements for operation and production of food products. The following is a summary of key articles.
CHAPTER 3 Work Permit and Food Registration Procedures Agencies Authorized to issue Work Permit and Food Registration Article 24 – Work places producing food products that have contact with food are not allowed to operate without a work permit and food registration. Application for Work Permit and Food Registration Article 25 – Those who want to get work permit and food registration should apply to the related agency with the information and documents below. a. Letter b. Letter of membership or certification of activity from the related proffesional association. c. Contract of the company as published in the official newspaper of commerce or a notary proved copy. d. Copy of signatures. e. A copy of non-hygenic establishment registration. f. Capacity report. g. A notary-signed copy of the contract of the responsible manager, a copy of the diploma and a letter from the professional association stating occupation as a responsible manager of the stated company.
CHAPTER 4 Registration and Production Permit Procedures Registration and Production Permit Article 28 – All work places producing food products covered by this statute, before starting production, must register each product and get the necessary permits. For this purpose: a. To acquire permits to produce food products, for which definitions have been published by the Turkish Food Codex, it is necessary to apply to the related authorities, with the written statement as found in EK-3 and an example of food label. b. For food product which definitions have not been published, it is necessary to apply with the written statement as found in EK-5 and the related required information and statements. c. To acquire permits to produce materials and products that have contact with food it is necessary to apply with the written statement as found in EK-5 and the related required information and statements. d. For branches of work as depicted in EK-1, work permit applications are submitted to the related authorities. If the folder of application is complete, the application will be evaluated within 30 days from the date of acceptance of the folder. e. Food registration documents are valid for the stated real or jurisprudential person, brand name, address, subject of activity and the product produced. Should any one of these change, the registration loses its validity. In such cases, information and documents regarding the change, together with the original of registration document and a letter of statement, will be submitted to the related authority within three months. The necessary documents will be prepared again by the authority.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 65 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II f. Products with same percentage of components may be produced with more than one brand and supplied on the market. g. Products without production permits can not be supplied on the market. h. If food products are produced; contrary to the statements given by the work place to the related authorities, or unsuitable to the new conditions stated by the Ministry, permits for the food product will be cancelled. i. The Ministry determines which authority issues production permits to which industry sector.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 66 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
ANNEX II
Travel distances between Route destinations in terms of km and average driving time*
Route 1: Erzurum – Karaurgan – Sarıkamış – Kars – Ani
Erzurum – Karaurgan: 117km, appr. 1h,30min. Karaurgan – Sarıkamış: 45km, appr. 0h,45min. Sarıkamış – Kars: 59km, appr. 0h,45min. Kars – Ani: 47km, appr. 0h,45min. Total: 268km, appr. 3h,45min.
Route 2: Kars – Çilehane – Kağızman – Tuzluca – Iğdır – Doğubeyazıt – İshakpaşa**
Kars – Çilehane: 50km, appr. 1h, 00min. Çilehane – Kağızman: 25km, appr. 0h, 45min. Kağızman – Tuzluca: 62km, appr. 1h, 00min. Tuzluca – Iğdır: 41km, appr. 0h, 45min. Iğdır – Doğubeyazıt: 55km, appr. 1h, 0min. Doğubeyazıt – İshakpaşa: 8km, appr. 0h, 20min. Total: 241km, appr. 4h,50min.
(Iğdır – Kars via Digor: 90km, appr. 1h,15min.)
Route 3: Kars – Çıldır Lake – Ardahan – Şavşat – (via) Susuz – Kars
Kars – Çıldır Lake: 68km, appr. 1h,00min. Çıldır Lake – Ardahan: 70km, appr. 1h,00min. Ardahan – Şavşat: 49km, appr. 1h,30min. Total: 187km, appr. 3h,30min.
(Şavşat – Kars via Susuz: 145km, appr. 3h,00min.)
Route 4: Kars – (via) Selim – Horasan – Erzurum Kars – Selim: 35km, appr. 0h,30min. Selim – Horasan: 85km, appr. 1h,10min. Horasan – Erzurum: 87km, appr. 0h,50min. Total: 202km, appr. 2h,30min.
* : These are net distances and net time spent driving. If the traveler rests at each town and also stops in-between to experience the landscape and take photographs or even take short walks, the traveling time will be longer. It is easy to imagine that each route, that is an average 200 – 250 kilometers, is a full day trip in itself. ** : Between Kars and Doğubeyazıt, the traveler experiences three different climatic zones and three separate landscape conditions. Besides the best view of Mount Ağrı (Ararat) is at a village named Karabulak on the road between Iğdır and Doğubeyazıt. Therefore Route 2 can be considered a two-day destination.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 67 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 68 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
ANNEX III
figure 1. The tourism brochure is bilingual and offers beautiful photographs
figure 2. The cover of the brochure displaying figure 3. Trekking is also a favorite tourist activity natural and cultural sites as well as rafting, in Yusufeli. Here a detailed list of trails with a time the favorite touristic attraction of the area. It is – distance table. interesting to note the sponsor of the brochure and the logo of the project.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 69 - Year One Report: Strategies for Sustainable Development, Kars, Turkey – Phase II
This promotional brochure from the town of Yusufeli in Artvin displays the potential interlinking ecological and cultural sites as well as favorite sports activities to design car and trekking trails. The brochure has been sponsored by the Kaymakam of Yusufeli.
A similar list could easily be developed for Çilehane.
figure 4. Detailed view of the trails. Note that many of the trails is a combine car travel with trekking or walking.
Institute for International Urban Development Cambridge, Massachusetts - 70 -