The 8th International Adana Taste Festival, implemented under the auspices of Adana Governorship, hosted Turkey’s first social gastronomy-focused Agriculture Summit. At the summit, organized in cooperation with the Social Gastronomy Movement, one of the world’s most important organizations in its field, the future of food was discussed in all its aspects, from soil to animal husbandry, from irrigation to carbon emissions, from the power of local producers to the aging farmer population. At the meeting held on October 17 with the contributions of chef Ebru Baybara Demir, expert guests from Switzerland, the Netherlands, Mexico, the USA and the Philippines came together with the farmers, entrepreneurs and chefs of Çukurova.
The 8th International Adana Taste Festival, organized under the auspices of Adana Governorship with the contributions of Adana Metropolitan Municipality, four central district municipalities and chamber presidents, also hosted an important summit.The theme of the summit, held on October 17, in cooperation with the Social Gastronomy Movement and with the contributions of Chef Ebru Baybara Demir, was determined as “The Flavor of the Soil”. The audience listened with interest to the speeches of the speakers who shared their expertise, experiences and solution suggestions under interesting topics. The Agriculture Summit, which brought together chefs, farmers, entrepreneurs and developers who are experts in the field of social gastronomy from different countries of the world, with local farmers and experts in Adana, witnessed important and striking speeches throughout the day. The opening speeches of the panel, which made national and global problems in agriculture colorful and eye-catching in the local dialect, followed by the topics discussed in the sessions and the highlights of the experts’ speeches were as follows.
HERO TITLE TO CHEF EBRU BAYBARA DEMİR
Chef Ebru Baybara Demir, who was awarded the title of Global Food Hero by the UN on October 16, World Food Day, made the opening speech of the summit: “I am very excited on behalf of my country. This year, I was honored with the title of “World Food Hero” – Global World Hero by the UN Food and Agriculture organization. I was one of the 7 names determined this year. This title has added a new responsibility to me regarding what needs to be done for land, agriculture and food. In this context, this Agriculture Summit we organized at the Social Gastronomy Center is of particular importance. I had the opportunity to get to know Adana, which I have been to many times before, from many different aspects in the last two and a half months while preparing for today. I had the opportunity to learn closely from the diversity of products in the soil, to the delicacies that come to the table from fishing, and the entire process of the product reaching the consumer from the soil. Adana has an order in which food has a food movement that continues 24 hours a day. I believe that Adana’s food and agricultural culture should be compiled in a sociological book. Today, we will discuss the processes of this rich structure of Çukurova with our academics, farmers, non-governmental organizations and people from different parts of the world who come to learn and share their knowledge with us. “I hope it will be a summit where we make a difference in agriculture in Turkey.”
Nicola Gryczka, one of the founders of the Social Gastronomy movement:“I am very happy that we are here as part of this event. A few years ago, we saw that many local organizations were working independently on food and agriculture. When we came together, we realized how powerful an impact and work we could create if we brought together more societies and non-governmental organizations in cooperation and partnerships. This is how the Social Gastronomy Movement was born. We started by determining basic principles. Education was the first of these principles. We educate people around the world on how to choose, buy and grow food responsibly. We produce solutions by working globally with local organizations. We work to ensure that practices in different countries are exemplary for each other and that food workers around the world act with common knowledge. We believe that this cooperation, which started with the Agriculture Summit in Adana, will strengthen our work. “This is a first and laid the foundation for our future work.”
Şahin Bilgiç, President of Adana Commodity Exchange:Adana is the heart of Turkish cuisine, not only with its cuisine but also with its fertile lands. We have the responsibility to continue this deep-rooted legacy and take it even further. Studies that follow global developments that strengthen the local economy will be our priority in line with this goal.
Zeydan Karalar, Mayor of Adana Metropolitan Municipality: Adana has a very special place with its two beautiful rivers on one of the most beautiful plains in the world. In addition to the deliciousness of every product from the soil, from watermelons to oranges, the flavor added by the skillful hands of the people of Adana is undeniable. In this period when global warming increasingly increases the risk in food and agriculture, the most important and most needed thing is fertile soil. As Adana Metropolitan Municipality, we work with the awareness of this. Every product produced by every farmer should not remain in the soil, but should be evaluated. Every wasted product is a value lost from our national income.
Yavuz Selim Köşger, Governor of Adana:It means that sometimes people can sense what is going on in each other’s minds. I was going to talk about the Izmir Economic Congress. In the preliminary meetings held to determine the economic position of the country to be established, it is requested that the most important agricultural products be brought from every city across the country. However, since it was post-war, very few products could be brought because the country in general was in an extremely difficult period and products were limited. The products offered by Adana can be very diverse thanks to its fertile lands… We have been trying to maintain this tradition carefully in Adana for many years. It is extremely important to ensure that everyone has access to safe food and to fully maintain the chain that we call from soil to fork. God gave Adana the climate, water, soil, hard-working people and vision. We are organizing this festival, which we have turned into a feast of taste, in order to use these blessings in the most appropriate way and to carry them safely into the future. We are not talking about a food system that is accessible only to those who have money. We work by focusing on comprehensive access. “Let Adana Taste Festival be a festival full of flavor that brings joy to our hearts.”
PANEL 1: ”THE MOST PRIVATE ONE OF ADANA IS LAND”
Moderator Prof. Dr. İbrahim Ortaş, Çukurova University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture.
Patrick Honauer, Food Network Founder:“Every time you teach something different about Türkiye. You are the best hosts. It’s not just about entertaining with food. Your hosting and sincerity impress me every time. The most important issue regarding the access of food and its transportation to the consumer is the proximity of the production to the place where it should be delivered to the consumer. If we want to protect the soil carefully and carry it into the future, we must know the producer well. Diversity of food is also very important. Adana and Çukurova have an extremely rich structure in this respect. For example, we tried 12 different olive oils at one table. “We must work to carry this rich structure strongly into the future.”
Selçuk Ramazanoğlu, Fenceman and Communication Consultant:“Unfortunately, until now, Adana had been reduced to just kebabs and turnips. However, contents prepared by adding to tradition, such as Adana Taste Festival and Agriculture Summit, are of great importance. Unfortunately, the soil is not coming back. “In order to protect our soil and strengthen agriculture, we must manage not only climatic impacts such as irrigation and correct use of water resources, but also socio-cultural impacts such as migration, industrialization and changes in crop patterns with the right solutions.”
PANEL 2: ”ARE TWO PRODUCTS A YEAR A DREAM ANYMORE?”
Moderator Dr. Nuran Talu, Public Climate Policies, Analyst and President of Global Balance Association
Zeynep Zaimoğlu, Çukurova University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering:“For years, Çukurova was one of the rare places in the world that produced 3 products a year, but today we are looking for an answer to the question of whether 2 products is a dream. Applying the world standard on pricing of irrigation water is one of the main problems that brought us to this point. “Agricultural policies, climate change, and unconscious and unplanned cultivation of plants that require a lot of water have also accelerated this process.”
Prof. Dr. Bülent Özekici, Çukurova University Faculty of Agriculture, Irrigation Department Head:“Due to global warming, the water coming to the dams started to decrease and revealed our water problem. From this point on, we should look at how we can save water in agriculture. In fact, we were self-sufficient. Renewing our irrigation system will compensate for the 50 percent loss experienced in the process of delivering water to the lands. “The way to prevent this loss is to switch to a closed, pressurized pipe irrigation system.”
Dr. Thieu Besselink, Utrecht University, Entrepreneur:“Farmers and consumers, companies, NGOs have different goals and opportunities and options. I think that’s the real problem. This is the most important problem on the way to a solution. There have been families in the Netherlands who have been farmers since the 16th and 18th centuries. For example, my family has been producing milk and butter for generations. However, like many farmers, we have lost tradition. As traditional methods disappear, the additives used in agricultural products are increasing with the aim of increasing product volume. I think this is the biggest danger. “Protecting cooperatives and increasing their number and acting collectively is one of the basic requirements that can prevent this.”
3RD PANEL: ”WHAT IS SOWING IN ADANA THIS YEAR?”
Aykut Gül, Çukurova University Agricultural Economics Lecturer:“How should we make the best use of our scarce land and water resources? We need to discuss this issue. The issue of production planning becomes important here. We need to put water constraints at the center of planning. “The support coefficient and the value of the number of floors are also very important in agricultural development.”
Mutlu Doğru, President of Adana Farmers Union:“The backyard of gastronomy is agriculture. The difference that gives Adana kebab its real taste is the Awassi sheep. The taste of kebab changes depending on the region where it grows and what it eats. We must improve Adana in terms of strengthening this structure. This is a small example that explains very well the importance of planning for the future of agriculture. “It would be right to make a plan that puts water at the center.”
David Jacobsen, Founder of Gut Rheinau:“Agriculture was invented in these lands, and I hope I can contribute to the process of approaching the solution of today’s problems here. In Switzerland, we farmers see ourselves as investors and entrepreneurs and therefore we do not have a union, we have an association. There is a structure that has an effective power in agricultural matters. Farms are smaller compared to European countries. But production is extremely efficient. For example, the Farmers’ Union stores a significant part of the products against the risk of a crisis in the country. This is all about farmers establishing the right organizational structure. “They constitute an important administrative force.”
PANEL 4: ”WHAT HAPPENED TO KARAGÜLLE WATERMELON?”
Moderator Dr. Kübra Sultan Yüzüncüyıl, Agriculture Food Researcher:“While men have the upper hand in land ownership around the world, when you look at it as farmers or unpaid workers in the family, women are in the majority.”
Ozcan Turkoglu,Food Agriculture Organization Türkiye Office Senior Program Coordinator touched upon how values are being depleted, based on Karagülle Berries.
Can Boydak, Agricultural Engineer and Heirloom Seed Producer:“I grow karakılçık wheat, which is one of the most important heirloom seeds. I think women are the beginning of both gastronomy and agriculture. “The production of Karagülle watermelon has decreased significantly due to reasons such as low consumer preference due to its multi-seed nature and lower yield.”
Cherrie Atliano, Founder of GREA Foundation:“Our country consists of islands, there is little agricultural land, logistics is a huge problem, there are heavy natural effects such as typhoons, but I am the founder of a foundation that has been working with small farmers in the Philippines for many years. My first mission is to ensure that the farmers on those islands deliver their products to consumers without having to leave their islands. In our country, farmers and the problems they face are important policy material. As the Foundation, we focus on how to give dignity to the producers who feed us all and ensure that they continue to produce with pride. For example, tourist visits to tourist islands push up food prices. In our country, women farmers are strong and important parts of production. They are not just a pair of helping hands, on the contrary they are effective and powerful. Women are the first creatures in history to plant plants on land, irrigate it, and initiate agriculture, but they are also the last and least likely to eat the food they prepared… As a foundation, we focus on educating women farmers on the safe and correct cultivation of food and the preservation of ancestral seeds. “Empowering women in farming is of great importance, especially in carrying traditional products into the future.”
PANEL 5: “WE ATE AND WE WERE NOT SATISFIED, WE DID NOT PUT OFFICE IN THE PLAIN”
Moderator Oya Berkay Karaca, Çukurova University Faculty of Fine Arts, Head of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department:“There is a food and nutrition style and tradition in Çukurova that comes from Central Asia. Ovine animals have an important place in our culture of evaluating every part of animal products and, in this context, eating. The real secret of the taste is the animals raised in this region. “It is necessary to think about where this issue is going in terms of sustainability and ask questions.”
Prof Dr Nazan Koluman, Dean of Çukurova University Faculty of Agriculture, Head of Animal Science Department:“There is a food-based industry in Çukurova, so NGOs in the field of agriculture play a big role at this point. Livestock, which is the main nutritious element of the ecosystem, is also at the forefront of the studies. Studies on animal husbandry and the impact of climate change have been carried out in Adana for about 20 years. According to the research results, desertification is in question. In other words, we cannot do anything without putting back what we took from the soil.”
Dr Murat Bolat, Agro GSYF İş Portföy Board Member:“Our mission is to focus young people on agriculture. Türkiye is known throughout the world not as a technology or industrial country, but as an agricultural country. However, we cannot channel this perception into production. We cannot ensure that a penny is transferred from private equity funds. “If funds can be provided to productive areas in agriculture, the income received from there will also attract more funds to the country.”
David Jacobsen, Founder of Gut Rheinau: “Farming is basically a simple job. You need land and machines. But on the other hand, if you look at it in terms of nutritional values and healthy products, this is where the real difficulty and struggle begins. Information is very important. It is important to have knowledge about issues such as animal care, soil nutrition and resting, crop rotation to increase productivity. Proper animal husbandry in the ecosystem also positively affects agriculture.”
PANEL 6: “IT CANNOT RECEIVE WITHOUT GIVING, PAY THE PRICE OF YOUR FOOTFOOT”
Assoc. Dr. Ömer Eren, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture, Biosystems Engineering Department, Agricultural Energy Systems Department Lecturer:No matter how much we produce and increase efficiency, we cannot make a change unless we prevent consumption habits and waste, which is important. Disinfestation is another important issue in terms of the future of agriculture and sustainability. After energy, the largest production is in agriculture.
Dr. Murat Salih, Farmer, Electronics Engineer:The carbon issue is a big problem looming over us. It is possible to turn this into an advantage with the right approach and programs. Carbon credits should be paid to the farmers who make the right application, carbon tax should be collected from the farmers who make the wrong application, an independent audit board should audit this and distribute the credits to the farmers for their correct carbon studies. If Adana Farmers Union initiates such an application as a pilot project, it will make great progress in agriculture.
Ramon Bacre, Humica CEO:“I always start my talks by asking “why are we here?” I’m here today to break paradigms. We must ask the soil which region we are in, what the climatic conditions are, what we can plant, and find the answer according to its answer. Agriculture has become solely and entirely the center of humanity. In fact, we should focus on how we can run and sustain the entire system itself, and how we can process the land more efficiently. “For this, we must reach out to farmers and even the smallest producers.”
PANEL 7: ”IS THERE ANY WASTE IN AGRICULTURE?”
Moderator Deda Büyüköztürk, Agricultural Engineer, Adana Metropolitan Municipality Climate Change Waste Department Head:“As consumption increases, production increases, so our waste also increases. Nearly 5 million tons of animal waste and millions of tons of agricultural waste are generated annually in Adana. “If it is managed correctly, it will make a great contribution to the ecosystem we are in.”
Rahman Salih Zengin, Deputy General Manager of Episome Biotechnology:“Regional studies should be carried out by including microbiological control in biological control.”
Prof Dr Oğuz Can Turgay, Ankara University Faculty of Agriculture, Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Department Lecturer:“Agricultural waste did not exist until the 1900s, or rather, people were not aware of it. Ancient civilizations as far back as the ancient Egyptians burned stubble to get rid of some of the plant waste in the environment. However, for healthy soil, this is one of the things that should not be done. “We cannot prevent the problem of stubble burning unless we change our perspective on the soil.”
Patrick Honauer, Food Network Founder:The rate of farmers being affected by environmental and climatic negativities exceeds 90 percent. Food waste in consumers’ homes is not the only problem. Waste on farms and agricultural production areas is also increasing. Thanks to the working systems and good organization of local networks and NGOs, it is necessary to train producers on the correct use, minimization and correct evaluation of these wastes. Until the French Revolution, restaurants only had 1 or 2 menus, dozens of them were not offered. I also offer only 1 menu in my own restaurant. I think this is a very useful approach in minimizing food waste and eliminating raw material waste.
PANEL 8: ”IF YOU GO TO SORBONNE, YOU WILL RIDE THAT TRACTOR”
Moderator Bedia Güçlüm, Çiftçi:Nowadays, when we see that the aging agricultural society is starting to threaten food security, we need to talk about what needs to be done to ensure that farming receives the professional value it deserves. What can we do to direct the young population to take care of the land they belong to and to make farming the main focus?
Ahmet Şerif İzgören, Writer, Trainer: There is no problem in agriculture in Turkey. Everything that happens is actually a result. I think the real problem is cooperation, vision, merit and people. “Light a candle rather than regret the darkness,” said Cicero. That’s what we have to do. The future is in gastronomy, and Turkey has a great future in this field. It is necessary to make the right investment in farmers. Farmers know best what needs to be solved and how it can be solved in agriculture. Decision makers just need to listen.
Christine Gould, Founder of Thought for Food:“I grew up on a farm in the USA. We were professional farmers. My father was a scientist. Maybe he was a creative inventor at that time, and the things he did in our own land were incredible. Even in those years, he used to tell me about fungi and microorganisms. He was working on products that would nourish the soil and move us away from industrial materials. This was how my thoughts on how to implement a movement were formed and grounded. I graduated from university, got a master’s degree, and worked in agricultural companies. With everyone I met, we were always talking about what we could do about farming and how we could take it forward. I resigned from my job and that’s how our association was born. We focused on establishing collaborations that will implement solutions to problems in agriculture. The importance of the position of young people in terms of the continuity of agriculture reveals how much they should be supported and encouraged in an intellectual and productive sense. My mission is to enable them to produce ideas that will build the future in agriculture.”
