What is the project about?

AKADP is implemented by The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock with the technical support of the United Nations Development Programme Country Office. AKADP aims to reduce rural poverty in the Provinces of Ardahan, Kars and Artvin. The project activities focus on smallholder and non-farm enterprise Investments, village infrastructure investments and institutional strengthening.

What has been the situation?

AKADP is implemented in the provinces of Ardahan, Kars and Artvin, the principal consideration being their status as less developed provinces. Ardahan (East Anatolia), Kars (East Anatolia) and Artvin (Black Sea) are ranked 74th, 67th and 43rd respectively out of Turkey’s 81 provinces in the Socio-Economic Development Index/Ranking (SEDI) developed by the State Planning Organization. Ardahan and Kars fall into Category 5 (severely underdeveloped) and Artvin falls into Category 3, although the overall SEDI categorisation for Artvin masks significant pockets of severe underdevelopment, particularly with respect to poorer smallholders. In most parts of the project area, difficult ecological conditions (rough topography, high elevation, long and severe winters, short growing seasons) and distances to other parts of the country exacerbate the situation for the rural population. Agro-ecological conditions limit agricultural production opportunities where traditional livestock production has been the primary income generating activity.

What is our mission?

In line with 2006 National Rural Development Strategy, AKADP aims to reduce rural poverty in the provinces of Ardahan, Kars and Artvin. MFAL has the overall responsibility for the management and implementation of AKADP. UNDP’s role is to provide implementation support to MFAL. In this context, UNDP contributes to proper functioning of decentralized management structure of the project in matters related to the financial planning, management and control, human resources management and procurement. UNDP ensures that the Project’s outputs contributes to intended country programme outcomes as well as supports national ownership, ongoing stakeholder engagement and sustainability of the project activities.

How are we doing this?

UNDP’s implementation support services include the flow of funds arrangements, recruitment of Project Management Unit staff, contracting of technical assistance, accounting, auditing and assistance in procurement of goods, civil works and services. UNDP also monitors the proper utilization of the resources entrusted to UNDP and the Project’s progress towards intended outputs and reports on progress to donors and UNDP corporate reporting mechanisms.

How will Turkey benefit?

AKADP will contribute to the reduction of the regional development disparities as the target provinces rank in the lower categories of the SEDI. Benefits would derive from: (i) increased livestock and related crop productivity; (ii) increased land and labor productivity; (iii) increased production of horticulture crops; (iv) enhanced access to finance through co-financing; (v) improved knowledge of business and farm management; (vi) improved economic and social infrastructure; (vii) improved access to pasture lands and range lands; and (viii) incremental tax revenues as a result of increased volume of taxable production.

What have we achieved so far?

• Modern livestock market has been constructed in Ardahan.
• Farmer associations have been strenghtned and  milk collection networks have been established.
• Fodder crop production has been demonstrated on 41 ha land.
• Fruit production and greenhouse practices has been enhanced.