Departmental SemInar
Water is today a strategic resource that directly affects many areas, from economic development and food security to the protection of ecosystems and disaster risk management. Climate change, rapid urbanization, population growth, and changing production and consumption patterns are placing increasing pressure on water resources. This situation makes it necessary to address water resources not only in line with current needs, but also through a long-term and multi-sectoral perspective, and to strengthen the principle of water-oriented planning in agriculture, industry, energy, urban development, and environmental policies. In this context, approaches to water management that are based on the basin scale, that take risks into account in advance, and that consider adaptation to climate change are becoming increasingly important.
This seminar will focus on the main activities carried out by the General Directorate of Water Management under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, particularly in the areas of basin-scale water management, the Water Efficiency Campaign, and the National Water Plan (2026–2035). Within the scope of the seminar, a general framework will be presented on river basin management plans, flood management plans, drought management plans, and sectoral water allocation plans prepared to ensure the protection, improvement, and sustainable use of water resources in terms of both quality and quantity. These planning instruments will be discussed as tools developed within an approach that evaluates competing demands for water in line with basin priorities, takes risks such as droughts and floods into account in advance, and aims to strengthen adaptation capacity.
One of the key themes of the seminar will be the National Water Plan (2026–2035), which sets the direction for Türkiye’s ten-year water policy. Prepared with the contributions of all relevant institutions and organizations and now in force, the National Water Plan provides a comprehensive framework ranging from the strengthening of the institutional and legal structure in water management to the protection of water resources in terms of both quality and quantity; from adaptation to climate change to hydrometeorological disaster management; from digital transformation to financing mechanisms; and from the water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus to education and awareness-raising.
The Plan sets out short-, medium-, and long-term priorities for water management through 8 goals, 31 strategies, and 141 actions.
The seminar will also address the activities carried out under the Water Efficiency Campaign, coordinated by the General Directorate of Water Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye. In this context, emphasis will be placed on tools and practices aimed at increasing water efficiency in agriculture, industry, and urban use; reducing water losses; expanding the use of reclaimed water; promoting rainwater harvesting; encouraging xeriscape applications; and strengthening public awareness.
The seminar aims to provide an up-to-date assessment of how water management in Türkiye is being shaped on the basis of basin-scale planning, efficiency, adaptation to climate change, risk management, and institutional coordination.