Turkey: Thematic Group defines its work plan for 2003

Four thematic areas have been adopted by the Thematic Group on Sustainable Rural Development and Food Security in Turkey for its work plan for the year 2003.

• Sustainable Rural Development in Turkey: a study of the projects implemented in the country, lessons learned from the post-termination evaluation, a collection of success cases of the role of women in these projects, etc.



• Nutrition: presentation of the National Strategy for Feeding and Nutrition, an analysis of the actual nutritional situation in the country, recommendations for nutritional support, etc.



• Forest Flora and Fauna and Bio-diversity.



• Management of land and water resources: the effects of the use of water resources at the small-scale and erosion on rural development and food security.

The meeting held in Ankara on the 14^th November, 2002 gathered 22 representatives from government ministries, 10 representatives from NGOs and Civil Society Organizations, 16 members of International Cooperation Agencies and Embassies, and two representatives from the private sector and universities. All the participants agreed to acknowledge the Turkish Thematic Group for Rural Development and Food Security, created in 1998, as a "useful platform for dialogue between the principle actors in development".

During the opening ceremony, Claire Van der Vaaren, The representative from the United Nations Development Programme, referred to the "important dimension of the Thematic Group as part of reform process of the United Nations and as a mechanism for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals". Ms. Van der Vaaren requested that the Thematic Group coordinates its efforts with those of the other United Nations groups in the country, like the HIV/AIDs or Gender group, where there are common areas of interest. She also commented that in view of Turkey's prospects for joining the European Union and the macro-economic reform, the area of action open to Thematic Group looks very wide and she recommended that the focus should be on specific aspects in order to achieve concrete results.

Some of the participants, in addition, proposed the involvement of the Group on the National Study on Health and Nutrition. The Government representatives presented the possibility of carrying out a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) study on food security, as one of the national priorities and requested the inclusion of the Thematic Group on Rural Development and Food Security in this context.

For more information please contact the FAO representative in Turkey: FAO-TUR@field.fao.org