Türkiye launches major livestock support project to boost sustainable production

ANKARA

As part of its strategy to strengthen national livestock production, Türkiye has begun the initial implementation phase of its comprehensive support initiative which prioritizes young people and women.

The project, Kırsalda Bereket – Hayvancılığa Destek (Abundance in the Countryside – Support for Livestock), aims to create a more sustainable and self-sufficient livestock sector by distributing livestock to selected beneficiaries under a carefully designed roadmap.

Agriculture and Forestry Ministry İbrahmin Yumaklı announced that, in the first phase, 4,351 eligible recipients have been selected to receive livestock, specifically pregnant breeding cattle.

The animals, sourced from the General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TİGEM), are part of a broader plan to increase domestic red meat production and reduce dependency on imported feeder livestock.

“The project is one of the main pillars of our national livestock roadmap announced last year,” Yumaklı said. “Our goal is to meet the demand of feeder livestock with animals raised by our own producers.”

The project is structured to roll out in three-year stages. For the initial stage, the ministry plans to distribute 60,000 animals. To ensure transparency and fairness in the selection process, a software-based evaluation system was used.

Beneficiaries were chosen according to specific criteria that prioritize small family farms with fewer than 20 animals, women, individuals under the age of 41, veterinarians, agricultural and food engineers, producers in earthquake-affected regions, those in 19 provinces targeted by production planning, members of primary agricultural cooperatives and farmers who can produce their own feed. Additional points were granted to relatives of martyrs, veterans and persons with disabilities.

Depending on eligibility, recipients will receive between five to 15 fully vaccinated pregnant breeding animals. Those with professional qualifications, such as veterinary or agricultural degrees, may receive up to 30 animals.

In addition to livestock, each beneficiary will receive annual support of 1,500 Turkish Liras for pasture rental and 18,000 liras for care and feeding. On average, producers are expected to earn an amount equivalent to the monthly minimum wage from this support.

Financing is also made accessible. Beneficiaries are eligible for low-interest loans from Ziraat Bank, with terms of up to five years and a two-year grace period. Up to 85 percent interest reduction will be applied, and a one-year insurance policy for the animals will be provided by TİGEM.

Yumaklı emphasized the strong interest among women and youth, noting that 41.6 percent of the beneficiaries are women and 80.5 percent are under the age of 41.

In addition, under the EU-aligned IPARD III Program’s third call for proposals, 329 livestock-related projects have been approved for a combined grant support of 3.6 billion liras. The projects focus on the production of milk, red meat, poultry and eggs and are expected to contribute approximately 6 billion liras in investment to the national economy once completed.