Miller Magazine Issue 109 / January 2019

61 COVER STORY MILLER / JANUARY 2019 the natural disasters, and the production goes down. Na- turally, the supply cannot meet the demand. Food prices are speculated. Recently, the food products are the most important investment instrument. As a result of these, we see price hike in all around the world. In fact, warning of disasters as a result of climate chan- ge is given for the near future, but these disasters are happening these days. Unusual climate events have been becoming usual. Disasters caused by excessive rainfall are experienced one after the other. Hurricanes very rarely experienced in Turkey and neighboring countries previ- ously are now a part of everyday talk because of climate change. One of these hurricanes missed Turkey but hit Greece that caused great havoc in this country. Because of extreme rainfall, many people could not harvest in the Southeast Anatolia and also carry out the winter sowing. Thus, every country should make the climate change a priority without thinking that this change will not affect them and assume responsibility for precaution. The importance of sustainable agriculture has been evident as a result of rapid increase in population of Tur- key and the world. The sufficient yield that meets far- mers’ labor and enables industrialists to compete in the foreign market and the creation of balanced price policy are inevitable for the sustainability of agriculture-based industry. It is vital to cultivate the agricultural products inside of the country that meet the industrialists’ need in quality and amount; and also these products should be in the price range that satisfies the farmers and allows the industrialists for competition in foreign markets. Considering that dryland agriculture is carried out in the eighty percent of the total agricultural land of Tur- key, it is evident that the agricultural production is dire- ctly related to the rainfall. So, studies show that climate change will lower the production productivity in Turkey between fifteen and twenty-five percent. According to the 2018 Crop Production Statistics re- leased by Turkish Statistical Institute, the production amount is lowered at 5.8 percent in grain and other crops and 2.6 percent in vegetables when compared to the previous year. Because of the decrease in yield and qua- lity, the increase in imports and the decrease in exports are inevitable. That’s why harmonization works with climate change should be accelerated. It is very important that each sha- reholder works for common targets and strategies in a coordinated and organized fashion for this necessity. The fight against climate change and adaptation stra- tegies should be put in place and implemented. In this sense, some precautions can be taken: planning can be carried out in the anticipation of possible changes in the climate; the climate projections can be carried out reliab-