STATUS: ON-GOING

DURATION: September 2023- September 2024

 

Challenge

Following last year’s mega fires in the Marmaris region, beekeeping activities and related agricultural development areas have been adversely affected. This project is a follow up proposal to demonstrate a sustainable production model as a solution to the restoration of natural habitat and local agricultural development with best practices.

 

Solution

The project will show an example of a holistic approach to nature in the context of ‘activities that improve the local and regional conservation status of priority species, protect them with the support of local people and raise awareness’, which are under threat of extinction as a result of collection from nature, through standard studies and training, and with this trained workforce, especially women’s labor. It will create a source of employment and livelihood. In the context of capacity building activities that will prevent the excessive collection of these wild species from nature, by producing these species in ‘Collection Gardens’.

 

Activities

• Establishing herbal gardens (medicinal aromatic plants grown with holistic methods) as bee pastures at four locations in Marmaris.
• Ensuring fair and sustainable herbal production through training and field meetings.
• Conducting training modules for primary school students in the sample garden at the school.
• Placing 10 hives in forest land and placing observation hives in schools to strengthen children’s connection with beekeeping and promote good ecological practices.
• Expanding the influence of the Marmaris Agricultural Ecological Development Cooperative at the Tuesday market, communication with cooperative customers.

 

Outputs

This project will create an education community and awareness on medicinal healthy plants and products and will produce a course curriculum brochure, to provide a profession for plant collectors from nature in selected regions, primarily to women, thus contributing to the family economy. The project will make a request a vocational course to the Ministry of National Education through Public Education Centers.  With the honey and medicinal plant inventory to be prepared, it will contribute to the determination of the biodiversity of the region, and information will be compiled for the ‘return’ to the traditional village economy based on traditional multiple agriculture with modern methods.

 

Our grantee: Marmaris Ecological Agricultural Development, a cooperative established mainly by women, with the aim of supporting producers and engaging in various activities. The cooperative focuses on supporting local producers in Marmaris and aims to ensure access to clean and healthy food for consumers.