Problems in the use of soil and water resources in Türkiye and Sustainable Use Strategies

Abstract

Food, water and energy are the three essential factors in living life. For this reason, the land and water resources have strategic importance and are an economic value for countries. Climate change and global warming will negatively affect the life of organisms in the near future and on a global scale. Use of natural resources in effectively and sustainably ways is very important in order to transfer them to future generations under better conditions. The effect of erosion is greater in areas with a high slope due to weak vegetation in Turkiye. For this reason, more than 90% of agricultural lands have mild or severe erosion problems. Turkiye is, thus, vulnerable to erosion due to climate conditions, topography and soil structure. Another problem in terms of agricultural lands is decrease in cultivated agricultural lands due to main reasons such as urbanization, tourism and industrial use. The other main problems are crop stubble burning, irregularity of property distribution and insufficient land consolidation, high loss and leakage of drinking and domestic purposes in water, excess water in agricultural irrigation, salinization and drainage. For sustainable use and protection of soil and water resources, technical and agronomic practices and institutional decision and approaches could be considered. Use of modern pressurized and smart systems with qualified personnel in irrigated areas, preventing erosion, use of agricultural lands for only agriculture purposes, diversifying the plants to be grown in crop rotation, avoiding overgrazing, and preventing stubble burning are of strategic importance for the sustainable use of agricultural lands. Increasing of irrigation efficiency and water productivity for sustainable irrigation is essential. In addition, applying more sanctions and penalties to those who engage in use of inapproriate soil and water resources, and preventing decrease the parcels’ dimension of agricultural lands.