Director of Climate Change Prof. Halil Hasar attended the launch meeting of the new Action Plan of the Konya Plain Project (KOP).
25 January 2025
Director of Climate Change Prof. Halil Hasar attended the launch meeting of the new Action Plan of the Konya Plain Project (KOP).
Hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the program was held in Konya with the participation of Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and ministers who are members of the Economic Coordination Board, during which the new KOP Action Plan was officially announced to the public.
The planned measures are expected to deliver more balanced socioeconomic development by accelerating regional growth, strengthening industry, and rolling out model and innovative projects designed to increase value-added production and employment.
During his address at the launch meeting, which set out ambitious development targets across multiple sectors, Vice President Yılmaz noted that Konya has become a nationally significant center of industry and exports, carrying considerable weight across Türkiye’s macroeconomic policy framework.
Emphasizing the growing domestic and international attention drawn by Konya’s defense industry output, Yılmaz said:
“The defense industry is vital not only for Türkiye’s security but also for its prosperity. Last year alone, we achieved exports exceeding USD 7 billion. This year, our goal is to surpass USD 8 billion in defense industry exports alone. This momentum demonstrates Konya’s entrepreneurial spirit and shows what can be achieved when modern production facilities are combined with a highly qualified workforce.”
Pointing out that past investments have laid a solid foundation for future initiatives, Yılmaz added: “Under the 2024–2028 Action Plan, we envisage allocating approximately TRY 350 billion to 166 projects. We are now taking new steps to make the KOP region more developed, stronger, and more competitive.
We view agriculture as a strategic sector.”
Stressing that the government has adopted an approach centered on planned agriculture, higher productivity, and smart farming practices, Yılmaz noted: “An expanding food supply will both enable our citizens to access healthier food at more affordable prices and contribute to macroeconomic stability by helping to reduce inflation.”
Highlighting the KOP region’s critical importance as an agricultural hub, Yılmaz underlined that its water needs are as significant as the figures indicate. While stressing that sustainability remains the core issue, he warned that excessive use of groundwater poses a serious risk to the region’s future.
“We must use water more efficiently, make agriculture far more rational, and strengthen the alignment between water availability and crop patterns. Failing to do so would put both our future and the future of our farmers at risk.” said Yılmaz.
Vice President Yılmaz was accompanied at the consultation and briefing meeting by Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, and Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat.