Kick-Off Meeting of the “Technical Assistance for Capacity Building for the Advisory Services Measure under the IPARD II Programme in Turkey” Project Held in Ankara
The Kick-Off Meeting of the “Technical Assistance for Capacity Building for the Advisory Services Measure under the IPARD II Programme in Turkey” Project, financed jointly by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey and implemented by the General Directorate of Agricultural Reform of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry together with the EU Structural Adjustment Management Authority, was held on 2 May 2019 in Ankara.
Opening speeches were delivered by Mr. Hasan Özlü, Director General of Agricultural Reform; Mr. Giulio Gentile, Attaché and Deputy Head of the Trade and Other EU Policies Section of the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey; and Mr. Bülent Özcan, Acting Director General for Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation of the Directorate for EU Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In his speech, Mr. Hasan Özlü highlighted that the IPARD I Programme was completed in 2013 and, building upon its achievements, the second phase (IPARD II) started in 2014. He emphasized that the programme primarily aims to improve living conditions in rural areas and reduce rural-to-urban migration.
He also stated that, within the scope of the IPARD II Programme’s technical assistance, 470 personnel from public institutions and civil society organizations will receive training, contributing to capacity enhancement in the field of advisory services.
The project aims to strengthen the implementation capacity for the “Advisory Services” measure under the IPARD II Programme, provide free project preparation services for low-income potential beneficiaries of the programme, and increase the participation of farmers, food processors, and rural communities in IPARD II through advisory mechanisms.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Delegation of the European Union to Turkey, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Central Finance and Contracts Unit (CFCU), Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution (ARDSI), as well as representatives from major producer organizations such as the Turkish National Dairy Council, National Cattle Breeders’ Association, and the National Red Meat Producers Association.
