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12/15/1951 - A New Farm Program for Turkey by Richard D. Robinson

RDR A New Farm Program Turkey INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS zveen Sokak No Maltepe Ankara Turkey Decemberi Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New Yok New York Dear M Rogers The distinct shift thinking agricultural planners Turkish erican The ECA group Ankara having launched campaign drive production upwards largely through rapid large scale mechanization worrd heavy concentration machinery certain notably cotton social economic problems resultin therefrom undeveloped state peasant agriculture cereal producing regions magnitude dollar require ments imported machines going This three problem moved planners place primary emphasis extension production ditrlbution light weight animal drawn equipment improvement livestock ranges development On January ECA Turkish Minister Agriculture Nihat Eriboz Minister State Fevzi Lutfi Karaosmanolu their signatures Agricultual Project Agreement which stipulated Marshall Plan tractors equipment ordered future those suitable cereal production Marshall Plan tractors imported allocated Seyhan Manisa Aydln Iel Izmir Hatay Anlya provinces wealthy provinces specializing cotton other export crops likewise provinces which landlordism prominent The agreement stated Progress toward reaching million grain export insufficient Positive measures therefore taken Government direct efficiently resources presently available those which available future toward increasing cereal production The compact limit EOA finaneed equipment cereal producers provinces Urfa ardln Diyarbakir Gaziantep See RDR Part I pages Part II pages details early pogram To purchased under first allocation Marshall Plan funds The story I believe Ministers concurred these conditions without knowledge Cabinet Prime Inlstr Adnan enderes learned agreement shortly thereafter March dlsmssed Cabinet minus Erlboz Karaosmanoglu ECA informed Turkish Government would honor document inasmuch never popely acted The easons Government prompt reectlon agricultural equipment accord importance matte found First feeling ericans interfering unduly affairs Turkey exaggerated perhaps unpleasant memor capitulations Turkey Republican Second great influence wielded wealthy landowners cotton produc areas Democrat Party The Government position despite reports serious social dislocation brought intensive mechanization cotton producing provinces despite obvious merits bendin every effort cereal production despite strenuous support agreement ousted Minister Agriculture For thought issue would split party It quickly realized ECA officials strictive clauses January agreement which stuck Turkish could hever enforced simple reason ECA could control distribution fraction tractors coming Turkey Statistics indicate Of tractors imported Turkey period ECA financed henee under measure ECA supervision In June agreement relating ECA sponsored cultural development became operative The quite different previous Written letter Foreign Minister Chief ECA Mission introductory paragraph reads See DR commentary capitulations Prime Minister Adnan Menderes himself substs ntial holder Aydin provinces excluded ECA tractor program This increase represents Jump ECA Special Mission Tur Increases Turkish Exports Agricultural Min roduction MV Registration Ari cultural Traotors October Estimated number tractors operation farms based partial projected The Turk Government desirous reallzln essentials agricultural program submitted O E E C particular attaining rapidly possible cereal production goals established conscious growing mportance increasing cereal production decided following measures The measures referred include tractors accompanying minimum equipment villaes farmers State enterprises concerned cereal production Priority given expansion cereal production either virgin recently cultivated Under aegis June agreement Turkish Government submitted ECA detailed program making released counterpart funds Inasmuch program seems point fundamental weaknesses agricultural programming document great interest The first project included extension At present provinces blessed Turks Teknik Ziraat Tekilati literally Technical Agricultural Organization This teach farmers practical scientific information which increase production raise living standards villa people improve national economy Village agricultural teachers assigned twenty villages travel horseback community community teaching demonstrating Plans developing expand organization provinces rapidly personnel trained skeleton organizations other provinces Probably should Adequate tranart ation provided farmers contacted effectively Visual demonstration equipment suprlie organ provinces limited extent agricultural directors unorganized provinces skeleton organizations Better livestock stocks approved varieties improved equipment better practices demonstrated Specific goals clhde Establishment June villae meadows improved pasture areas O0 villages total Turkey roughly 40000 Demonstration chemical fertilizers approximately decares acres crops O00 villagea Le Minister Fuad Kprlfl Russell H Dorr Chief ECA Special Mission Turkey June Total million Turkish Lira million which million million counterpart release million million Turkish budgetary appropriations years The breakdown ECA dollar grant Turkey known Interview Gideon Hadary Agricultural Economist ECA Ankara Dec S1 Agricultural Projects Submitted Turkish Government ECA Special Mission Turkey December Annex A Dispatch Turkish agiculturallsts United States training Employment American experts train extension workers Turkey Construction thirty frult drylng furnaces fruit producing villages Establishment least extension offices A second project concerns small agricultural equipment The preamble reads Under impetus ECA assistance considerable progress mechanization Turkish agriculture Nevertheless animal drawn other simple equipment continue principal means aricultural cultivation Expansion agricultural production depends large extent improvement these Items The purpose project distribution village farmers small sized animal drawn agricultural equipment Included plows harrows cultivators drills wheel carts eaners Insofar possible equlpent manufactured locally distribution first piority those districts where complete available povided however province receives I0 total Any operator owing draft animals complete equipment eligible under NO payment required credit available purchase loans repaid years followin fiPst harvest which outfit A project relates agricultural research eucation Specific activities include A survey determine suitability cultivation types crops irrigation fertilizer quirements Calculation economics mechanized farming under varying conditions Determination means improving marketing principal commodities Pil6t moeis produced drills tested successful produced Ankaae Minimmcomplete single bottom variations allow local district modifications harrow drill culti vator Supra V Annex B Supra V Annex C Sb ProJects Discussed RDR Part I February Discmssed RDR pages August Ibid Determination effeotive measuresagainst wheat trust Expansion cereal experimental eastern Turkey Research feasibility eliminating practice fallowing cereaXland alternate years favor forage crops Cultivation study native forage plants Determination means improving livestock ranges Improvement poultry Installation modern fruit packing house apple producing areas For first reforestation project being pushed forward under ECA auspices The oening paragraph Turkish Justification states Speedy expansion development Turkey forest resources essential conservation natural resources There urgent Ee reforest Central Anatolia The project contemplates establishment forest regions about acres central Anatolian villaes Reforestation these villaes continue years which period village possess hectare After first program financed regular Turkish budgetary aporoprations Insofar possible villae cooperation obtsinedi effort reduce costs Another project concerns opening cultivation As Turks argue Turkey areas agricultural which beirg production though climatic conditions favorable unused belongs Government within boundaries State farms where promctivity proven These resources utilized because wells supply drinking water people livestock provided Furthermore shortage modern farming equipment retarded progress This project designed bring million about acres unused eylanpinar State Farm productio rapidly possible establish nucleus supply center which farmers eventually settle Sueste RD R ovember I Str0nly urged RDR March I Supra Annex D A recent survey ECA flnanced AmePIcan ettlement consultant indicates there least decares roughly million acres potential Turkey being worked A emphasized survey referred Located Turklsh Syrlan border somewhat UPfa Supra Annex E Closely associated foregoing project drill wells loped provide adequate drinking water settlers their livestock A further poect would introduce efficient irrigation water Trkis planners state The development irriation Turkey concentrated engineering features which water available Very little emphasis given vital phase water farmers Consequently water available wasted To problem technicians trained small scale demonstration projects innauurated The final project which Turks thrown improvement Turkish livestock Since history growing bread grains keeping flocks herds frmed basis agricult practice Land Turks reads project justification But spite Climatic suitability livestock production animal husbandry practice Over razing pastures meadow common resultant underfed seasonally starved animal human populations The argument Horses constitute important agricultal progress providing tansportatlon goods provided carts donkeys The shift drawn implements horsepower means timely preparation timely seeding which demonstrated number years Turkey Agronomy Exoeriment Stations tremendous value increasing yields crops particularly wheat other cereals Likewise becoming increasingly clear modern equipment horses national defense countries mountainous topography Turkey cannot diminlsed In order further improve these breeds those developed Turkish State stock farms prevent breeding importations necessary In respect livestock cattle sheep Fosts horses program calls research better breedln improved range conditions adequate disease prevention Turkish experts speculte It conceivable Turkey never produce enough proper around nutrition million livestock Particularly present animals improved their productivity increased A shift emphasis seems desirable Rather stating goals measuring livestock production terms number heads place emphasis quantity quality animal products produced Suet V Anne E Sub proSect I Supra Annex F Sub project Supra Ann G I Ibid The efficacy horse agriciture argued Ibid V RDR V June DB Au I49 It opinion foegoSng programs soundly conceived technical socloloIcal points It unfortunate ECA receive petty financial support measured against mechanization program But properly executed these programs prove greater lasting value Importstlon ctors heavy machinery Sincerely yours Richard D Robinson Received New York I