The government Friday said it would provide financial assistance to farmers in the southeast devastated by the deadly earthquakes that also hit neighboring Syria earlier this month, while the U.N.'s food agency raised concerns over disruptions to basic food production.
Two massive earthquakes on Feb. 6 leveled tens of thousands of buildings and displaced millions of people in Türkiye, as well as Syria. Besides cities, the disaster also hit rural areas, where aid efforts were disrupted by icy conditions after the initial tremor before military helicopters engaged in bringing in supplies and roads were cleared.
The death toll of the deadliest disaster in the country’s modern history was revised to over 38,000 as of Thursday, authorities said.
The quake-affected provinces are home to some 13.5 million people or 15% of Türkiye’s population. The region accounts for close to 10% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Over 2.2 million people have left the disaster zone, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday. However, many prefer reportedly preferred to remain close to their homes, particularly in rural areas, to care for their livestock and greenhouses.
Farmers in the affected provinces will be provided fuel and fertilizer support for the 2022 production year, and payments will be extended in cash, a decree published in the Official Gazette said Friday.
A separate decree said animal breeders would be extended one-off payments that would vary from TL 50 ($2.65) per sheep or goat to TL 500 per cattle or buffalo.
Meanwhile, the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said it was evaluating operations on the ground in both Türkiye and Syria, focusing on the needs of rural communities reeling from the impact of the quakes, including those hosting victims from nearby towns and cities.
In a statement, the agency Friday said it was working together with the relevant local authorities and was closely monitoring the situation and assessing its impact on agriculture and food supply chains to understand the extent of the damage better and identify priority areas of intervention to resume food production and restore overall food value chains rapidly.
In Türkiye, it said it was working closely with the government to determine the next steps in rehabilitating agriculture sector infrastructure damaged by the earthquake, including irrigation systems, roads, markets and storage capacity.
As for Syria, it stressed rapid assessments of areas affected by the disaster suggested major disruption to crop and livestock production capacity, threatening immediate and longer-term food security.
“This includes damage and loss of livestock, agricultural equipment and infrastructure such as greenhouses, irrigation, storage facilities, as well as food and feed production facilities, among others,” the statement said.
“FAO’s priority in both Türkiye and Syria is to ensure that the most affected rural communities can sustain and recover basic food production while supporting local authorities to assess agricultural damage and needs at a wider scale,” it noted.
The agency said activities in both countries would focus on supplying agricultural inputs (animal feed, seed, seedlings, fertilizer, fuel, tools, equipment), veterinary care (livestock treatment and vaccination) and unconditional cash transfers for one to three months.
“Damage and needs assessments and associated recovery plans will further inform future actions,” it added.
In Türkiye, the FAO said it has been supporting displaced and host community families affected by the ongoing conflict in Syria, focusing on employment and livelihood creation. Under its Syria Refugee Resilience Plan, the FAO is aiming to provide support to 250,000 people with $71.8 million in funding.
Under the United Nations Türkiye Flash Appeal, the FAO seeks $25 million to reach 900,000 rural people in all 11 affected provinces with immediate livelihood support and unconditional cash transfers over the next three months.
The FAO says it has been supporting rural families affected by the crisis in Syria for 13 years.
Under its 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria, the FAO was already seeking around $122.6 million to assist nearly 3 million people.
“Many of these families were in the earthquake-hit parts of the country and their needs will only have increased with this new shock, as will funding requirements,” it said.
Under the United Nations Syrian Arab Republic Flash Appeal, the FAO requires $10 million to reach 300,000 rural people in need over the next three months with cash, livestock assistance and agricultural support to secure a summer crop.
