The "Water Efficiency Campaign" is set to be launched to prevent water misuse in homes, workplaces and industries, and to establish legal infrastructure, modern irrigation methods in agriculture and raise public awareness of water consumption in Türkiye.
The campaign announcement comes as the country is experiencing significant "water stress" due to a lack of drinking water supply and an overall decrease in dams' reserves due to climate change.
According to the written statement made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on Sunday, the mobilization in question will be carried out throughout the country under the auspices of first lady Emine Erdoğan.
The mobilization is set to begin with a meeting at the Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara on Jan. 31.
The campaign is planning to cover all segments of society, from farmers to industrialists, from students to homemakers, and from the private sector to all public institutions and organizations, the ministry's statement pointed out.
The "Water Efficiency Strategy Document and Action Plan Document" will also be shared at the Water Efficiency Campaign Promotion Meeting within the framework of adaptation to the changing climate.
The document to be made public includes the work to be carried out to reduce the water loss rate, which is 33.54% currently, to 25% by 2033 and 10% by 2040.
With the scope of the action plan, measures such as the use of geographic information systems, remote sensing and automation, the creation of isolated subregions and the registration of unregistered services will be implemented.
The plan also aims to cover initiatives related to water availability and forming products countering the drought. Transmission and distribution systems are set to shift to closed systems, and modern irrigation methods are planned to be used.
Evaporation is aimed to be prevented by spreading the night irrigation practice, thus increasing agricultural irrigation efficiency.
As a result of all these practices, it is aimed to increase the agricultural irrigation efficiency, which currently stands at 49%, to 60% by 2030, 65% by 2050, 70% by 2070, and 75% by 2100.
Within the scope of the action plan, legal, administrative and technical infrastructure will be strengthened to increase water efficiency in the industry. In addition, by expanding the recycling level of used water, clean production techniques will be applied and up to 50% of the water will be recovered.
In addition, training, information and awareness activities are set to be accelerated to ensure a behavioral change in individual water use. Furthermore, devices, equipment and materials will be developed to use water efficiently, and their use will be expanded. As a result, the average daily water consumption per person, which is 146 liters, aims to be gradually reduced to 100 liters by 2050.
The Blue Gediz Action Plan, prepared by the ministry to improve the quantity and quality of water resources in the Gediz Basin, will also be announced at the Water Efficiency Mobilization Promotion Meeting.
The water resources in the Gediz Basin will be improved in quantity and quality by implementing the action plan, which is an example of an integrated watershed management approach. In addition, the ministry's statement said that the level of welfare in the basin would be increased by minimizing the destructive effects of floods and droughts and protecting human health, biological diversity and the ecosystem.
