Izmir Metropolitan Municipality combined agricultural production activities with urban life with the neighborhood gardens it established. The people of the region, who bought the first products last July, also started planting and planting the winter products. Citizens who meet the needs of their kitchen by growing healthy products from ancestral seeds that are about to disappear, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç SoyerHe thanked.
Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç SoyerIn line with the aim of facilitating access to good, clean and fair food, the neighborhood garden established by the Metropolitan Municipality in Kadifekale continues to bring the people of the region together with agriculture. With the motto "Another Agriculture is Possible" and in line with the understanding of a city in harmony with nature, planting and planting activities of winter vegetables have started in 60 parcels. İzmir Village-Koop Union President Neptün Soyer also shared in the excitement of the citizens who planted the vegetable seedlings determined with the seedling and seed support of the municipality. Neptün Soyer, who brought the seedlings and seedlings together with the women, emphasized the importance of the project and said: “Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyerstarted this project in Seferihisar and gave a message to the whole of Turkey. As a cooperative, wherever we go in the country, we encounter works such as urban gardening and school gardening, and this makes us very happy.”
“It is important for the consumer to be conscious”
Emphasizing that the cooperatives are on the producer side of this business, but the consumer should also be conscious, how the product meets the soil and how the products are grown, Neptün Soyer said, “It is important to know the real taste of lettuce after it meets the soil and water. Maybe they will be cooks in the future, they will be good chefs, they will prepare plates. They will know that it is not just a chief's list, but also how valuable it is with its harmony in the soil and nature.”
Good, fair and clean food
Stating that this project has many pillars, Neptün Soyer said, “As İzmir Village-Koop Union and our cooperatives, we brought the seeds collected in exchanges in İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Can Yücel Seed Center together with the soil. As a cooperative, we prioritize our economic benefit, but every cooperative also has a social benefit. Here, before the economic benefit, it is important that the children and pregnant women in the city are fed properly. It is also important in terms of proper nutrition against the diseases that will occur and meeting with good, fair and clean food. It has so many benefits… There are situations here that cannot be compared with money. As cooperatives, we strengthen our social side.”
“It has an incredible contribution to İzmir”
Bayındır Florists Cooperative (BAYÇİKOOP) Manager Bahar Akkuzu stated that they have made great progress in the works and said, “There are many benefits for the region. He has an incredible contribution to both İzmir and Bayındır. We produce our saplings and distribute them to our producers”.
“We think and produce together”
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Social Projects Department Kadifekale Lens Project Supervisor Ferhan Uzun stated that they will experience the winter experience in Kadifekale Neighborhood Garden during this period. Ferhan Uzun said, “We hope that a productive sowing and planting period will pass with the women as in the summer period. We produce the demands we receive from them to the extent of our knowledge, experience and possibilities. We think and produce together.”
Children also met the land
Stating that they included primary school students in the project this term, Uzun said, “A place in the garden was reserved for Zübeyde Hanım Primary School students. Children will, too. Two terraces for children have been identified. The plantings were done with them and will be grown with the children. We will start agriculture workshops, nature workshops. We want children to touch the soil and see how the plants grow. It will be an important experience. We will change Kadifekale together," he said.
Ancestral seeds come to life again
Ahmet Özdemir from the Can Yücel Seed Center emphasized that they turned ancestral seeds into seedlings as a result of the joint work they carried out with BAYÇİKOOP, and that they enabled the citizens to meet the soil in Kadifekale. Özdemir said, “Many seeds planted here are seeds that are about to disappear. There are varieties of lettuce, which we call old oil lettuce. There is a kind of curly cress that is about to disappear. He found life in this area again. As Can Yücel Seed Center, we gave life to winter watermelon, purple-colored broad bean, and many Anatolian seeds that are on the verge of disappearing, and we multiplied them.”
“Regional people feel valued”
Özlem Kanmetin, Head of Konak Aziziye Neighborhood, stated that people needed to touch the soil and said: “In the past, people used to plant vegetables in basins. Now it is planting here. This project brings great happiness to the citizens, and I am very proud of it. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç SoyerIt is very valuable to realize such a project. In each of his projects, he makes the people who live here feel valuable.”
Blessings have come to the kitchen
Suat Demir, married and mother of 3 children, planted in the Mahalle Orchard. “We plant vegetables here and we take the products we grow to our home. We also share it with our neighbors. We are very happy. A very important work. Thank you,” she said.
From Winter Neighborhood Garden
Mine Solmaz stated that they benefited from the opportunities provided by the Metropolitan Municipality and said, “We are planting winter crops. In the summer we planted eggplant, cucumber, tomato and got the produce. Now we have moved on to winter products. The municipality is already doing the irrigation. We also collect the products and eat them with pleasure. It is a great addition to our home. I planted cucumbers here. I met the need for cucumbers all summer from here,” he said. Özge Gergin, on the other hand, stated that they planted winter crops and said: “Very good work, we are coming with our children. It also meets an important part of our kitchen needs. I have made most of my winter preserves with the products I have obtained here. It was very good."
Shared products with neighbors
Yurdagül Eren used the following expressions: “I planted in this garden in the summer. I bagged my okra, put it in the closet. I made pickles from cucumbers and tomatoes. I dried some products. I also gave it to my friends. I have benefited from many products from pepper to melon. I am very pleased. I almost didn't pay for vegetables. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç SoyerThank you. It contributed to our kitchen in these economic difficulties. Now we planted winter products.”
The metropolitan area started last May.
Work on the orchard, which was established in partnership with Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Emergency Solution Team, Department of Social Projects, İZDOĞA, Department of Science Affairs, Department of Agricultural Services and Department of Parks and Gardens, started last May.
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