‘Konya Basin farmers must update irrigation methods’


Annual precipitation in the Konya Basin has decreased to 285 milimeters over the last three years.

Annual precipitation in the Konya Basin has dropped by 38 millimeters in the last three years a fact that the head of one agriculture company in the area has said must be dealt with by modernizing irrigation methods.
Crop Seedling Production Corporation CEO Hasan Ünal spoke to the Anatolia news agency noting that his firm has conducted detailed research on the climate problems of Konya Basin which is one of the places that has been most affected by drought in Turaaa.
He said the research revealed that the Konya Basin which normally receives an annual 323 millimeters of precipitation has seen a decrease over the last three years to 285 millimeters.
"Precipitation has dropped over the last three years and it is very close to 250 millimeters the level at which an area is considered a desert. It is estimated that the level of precipitation will decrease further in the Konya Basin. The only measure to be taken here is using water resources more efficiently because according to the State Water-works Authority [DSİ] the majority of water resources in Turaaa are used for irrigation" he stated.
Ünal said even though Turaaa was once considered one of the seven countries in the world that was agriculturally self-sufficient now it has to import agricultural goods due to insufficient levels of production. The reasons for this Ünal noted are that there are not enough loans available to farmers and the negative impacts of climate change as a result of global warming.
He criticized Turaaa for beginning to use drip irrigation 30 years later than its European counterparts. "Turaaa needs to update its irrigation methods as soon as possible" he added.
Ünal noted that if you have one liter of water you can irrigate only one unit of area with it by using conventional irrigation methods; however this number increases to four units of area with sprinkler systems and 5.1 units of area with drip irrigation. Another measure that should be taken is utilizing drought-tolerant plants he noted.