A former greenhouse worker in Turkey’s southern Antalya province, famous for its greenhouses, set up his own greenhouse business in his hometown in the nearby Kahramanmaras province, with the help of the Eastern Mediterranean Development Agency (DOGAKA).
Years ago, 50 year old Necip Duran, a worker in a tomato greenhouse in Antalya, dreamed of having his own greenhouse. After a while, Duran returned to his hometown of Kahramanmaras, where the Turkoglu District Food, Agriculture and Livestock Directorate, had developed a project under the scope of DOGAKA, and he learnt about the financial support being offered to farmers.
After applying to the project and getting the support from the agency, Duran made his dream a reality. As he had always hoped for, Duran built a tomato greenhouse and didn’t just change his own fate, but that of the village too. Duran: “In 2007 I was the first to bring greenhouse agriculture to the Kadiogluciftligi neighbourhood.
At first I started with tunnel greenhouses, I rented a field. Later I bought my own place. In 2010 the district’s national training manager helped me. We realised the project with DOGAKA. Greenhouse agriculture was my dream, my passion. We use organic fertiliser. We use bees for pollination, the fate of the village changed with me. We had 5 acres to begin with, this is now 150 and there are still those who plan to set up more. Annually we are earning at least €24,000-26,000.”
