İstanbul Fertilizer Industry Inc. (İGSAŞ) and Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry signed a cooperation protocol within the scope of the "Indoor Vertical Farming Application and R&D Center in İstanbul" project. At the ceremony held at the General Directorate of İGSAŞ in Kocaeli's Körfez district, the cooperation agreement for the project was signed by İGSAŞ General Manager İlkay Ünal and İstanbul Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry Manager Ahmet Yavuz Karaca.

İGSAŞ General Manager İlkay Ünal said that as a result of urbanization, climate change and unplanned farming practices, agricultural areas are deteriorating and gradually decreasing. Noting that the world's population is also increasing, Ünal said, "Developing agricultural technologies is of key importance in order to ensure adequate and balanced nutrition for all humanity. The world population has been increasing, but on the other hand, our resources are decreasing. Food supply, which is very important for the future of humanity, has a great importance. Thanks to the development of vertical farming technology, especially the food needs of big cities will be met on site"

Ünal said, “We are proud to be a partner of this R&D project, which will be a pioneer in Turkish agriculture. With our state on the one hand and the private sector on the other, we all together are really excited to be able to put forward a project that could contribute a solution the global food shortage and give a different perspective and a different value for the future of agriculture.

Pointing to the importance of vertical farming, Ünal said, "Vertical farming will meet a very important need at this point because we are talking about a technology that is not dependent on water and sun. It will create an important opportunity for the solution of the food problem in today's world, thanks to the fact that agriculture could be done without being dependent on geography and climate. In addition, this production system could also reduce food production costs. In order to make vertical farming applicable in our country, some researches and trials are required. It will be a great advantage for us to develop this technology, which does not have a long history in the world, in our country and to create our own technology. Ünal reminded that IGSAŞ has implemented many social responsibility projects with the motto "Following the Soil".

"We need new agricultural technologies"
İstanbul Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Karaca expressed their contentedness that they could implement the project they have been working on for about two years with the support of IGSAŞ. Karaca noted that they will provide free of charge information with entrepreneurs and farmers who wish to invest vertical farming.

Stating that agricultural lands in the world are gradually decreasing, Karaca said, "We need new agricultural technologies. We also care about urban agriculture. We have developed a project related to this. We will start on a 700 square meter area on the minus eighth floor of a car park in a cultural center in Istanbul's Kağıthane district."

Explaining that their goal in the project is to make vertical farming possible, especially in the closed and idle areas of big cities, Karaca noted that they will provide free of charge information to entrepreneurs and farmers who wish to invest vertical farming. Karaca, mention the potential of Istanbul in agriculture and animal husbandry and talked about their continuing plans and work.

Source: Anadolu Ajansı