Türkiye to showcase sustainable cotton practices at COP31

Türkiye will present sustainable cotton farming practices from the Southeastern Anatolia region at the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya.

The government and the UN Development Program (UNDP) organized the project to improve production efficiency and lower the amount of resources needed for farming in a region that produces more than half of the country's cotton. The project implemented the Better Cotton Initiative across more than 123,500 acres over five years.

This shift to sustainable methods increased crop yields by 20 percent while lowering fertilizer use by about 30 percent and reducing irrigation needs by 45 percent. These methods aim to protect soil health and biodiversity to help farms withstand climate change. Hasan Maral, chair of the GAP Regional Development Administration, said that more than 2,100 producers now use these sustainable methods. The project specifically increased production in the Sanliurfa and Diyarbakir plains.

Türkiye plans to display these results to an international audience during the conference held from November 9 to 20.