Miller Magazine Issue 109 / January 2019

62 COVER STORY MILLER / JANUARY 2019 le agriculture production areas and the product diversifi- cation can be implemented at anticipated climate chan- ge. In addition, training farmers on the climate change can help mitigate problems caused by climate change. The contractual production model, becoming coopera- tive, land consolidation, and farmer training will also be very effective in reducing the effects of climate change. In 2018, as the Pasta Industrialists Association, we broke grounds in two important events that affect the agricultural production planning and the selection of po- licies, which will help lower the adverse effects of climate change. First of all, we started a joint project with the Depart- ment of Agricultural Economics of Central Research Insti- tute of Field Crops of General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM) of the Ministry of Agri- culture and Forestry – a joint project that will present the current picture in the chain ranging from durum wheat producer to consumer and in each ring according to the developing and changing world conditions in the sector and also will determine the desire and preferences of producers, industrialists, and consumers and will provide data to the pasta sector. With this project, it is planned to explore decision having impact on the durum wheat pro- duction in Turkey, the raw material demand and marke- ting structure of pasta facilities, and pasta consumption habits of consumers. As the second initiative, we signed “Goodwill Proto- col on Cooperation Regarding Domestic Durum Wheat Purchase and Sale,” with the Directorate General of the Central Union of Agricultural Credit Cooperatives on De- cember 2018 in order to provide support and ensure con- tinuity of cultivation of the durum wheat in the quantity and quality demanded by our industry with our country’s resources. Thanks to this protocol, our members will start to implement the contracted agricultural production mo- del. THE FIRST DUTY OF EACH COUNTRY In a situation where there is a rapid increase of the world population, a decline in agricultural production and food supply, and a concern that the global food cri- sis can happen, each country is required to take steps to meet the domestic consumption and take precautions to increase production permanently. If there were a food crisis, it is serious issue for every country how and where they will meet the food need. Since we are talking food, countries have to meet the food demand by people and to ensure the food safety. According to the study researched by Professor İlkay Dellal, it is estimated that Turkey’s wheat production will lower 8.18 percent with the effect of climate change. The Union of Turkish Agricultural Chambers announ- ced that approximately 5.5 percent of cultivated wheat is lost because the harvest is carried out during outside of period of harvest maturity, fight against pest is not adequate, and untrained people use harvester. Although it is not possible to eliminate the lost, the percentage of loss is no more than two percent in developed countries. This loss can be prevented in the coming harvest period, and if so, this will mitigate the yield loss as a result of climate change. It is getting difficult to feed people without providing solution to climate change that is one of the biggest dan- gers. In order to feed ever increasing world population in line with food security without being subjected to hun- ger, all countries have to regard the increase of produc- tion, the minimization of waste, and food provision and balanced distribution as their first duty.