The earthquakes that struck southern Turkey on February 6 caused the agricultural sector to lose more than 20 percent of food production, according to a report that also urges the United Nations to step up efforts to help rural areas recover.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has taken stock of the impact of the earthquakes on eleven provinces that depend heavily on the primary sector – this area accounts for 15 percent of agricultural GDP – and where the number of people affected exceeds 15.7 million.
More than a third of the population lives from agriculture, a sector that has suffered 1.3 billion dollars (almost 1.2 billion euros) in damages and faces losses that could exceed 5.1 billion dollars (close to 4.7 billion euros).
Time is pressing as summer approaches, FAO warns. Planting before the end of the rains is our only chance to have a good crop next year, due to damage to irrigation canals and agricultural infrastructure. We need fertilizer before it is too late,» says a farmer in Nurdagi, Gaziantep region.
In this sense, the FAO representative in Turkey, Viorel Gutu, has warned that it is »urgent» to give fertilizers and seeds to those affected, as »it is the only way to maintain production levels this year». In addition, he called for food to »maintain the health and productivity» of the animals.
The UN agency is seeking to raise »urgently» $112 million (about 103 million euros) to provide both immediate and long-term assistance to the affected communities, although for now only $1.5 million has been secured.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
