Our agency aims to increase the welfare level of rural areas in our region with an innovative and sustainable perspective, to establish a rural-urban development balance and to diversify and increase the income obtained from rural areas.
Bursa, Eskişehir, Bilecik region has an important potential in terms of historical and cultural values along with its high competitive power and capacity in the industrial field, forest and water assets, vegetation and agricultural diversity. In addition to agricultural and livestock activities in rural areas, many activities such as processing of products, brand-registration activities, eco-tourism, migration from the city to the countryside, and activities in the fields of culture, nature, history and health in line with the richness of the region in tourism promotion are actively carried out in our region.
ACCOMPLISHED ACTIVITIES
BİLECİK RURAL DESIGN EVENT – KINIK VILLAGE
In order to increase awareness of the art of pottery, which has been traditionally practiced in Kınık Village of Pazaryeri district of Bilecik for 150 years, to increase the value added and market the products produced, and to increase the competitive power of potters, a Rural Design Event was held in Kınık Village on August 11-12, 2018. During the event, Pottery Performances, Workshops, Producer and Consumer Meetings, Pottery Exhibition and Rhythm Workshop activities were carried out.
BİLECİK BEEKEEPING AND BEE PRODUCTS WORKSHOP
It is aimed to increase the knowledge and awareness of beekeepers by bringing them together with local and national academicians regarding the ongoing beekeeping activities in Bilecik province. 4 local and national academicians and 1 company participated as speakers in the event held on November 27, 2022. More than 400 people, including beekeepers and bee products enthusiasts, participated in the organization.
BİLECİK NATURE SPORTS AND TOURISM WORKSHOP
A workshop was organized on December 19, 2022, in order to reveal the potential of the province in the field of nature sports, to bring it to the economy with the right method and to create a road map for what needs to be done. In the workshop, presentations were made by expert teams in the fields of rock climbing, canyon crossing, nature walking, cycling and paragliding and the problems of these sports were revealed. The future scenario of the province was consulted.
STRENGTHENING COOPERATIVES PROGRAM IN THE DIGITAL AGE
The program aims to bring together producer cooperatives located within the borders of Bursa with the market and facilitate the development of quality products by these businesses and their sales in digital marketplaces.
The program call was opened in 2023 and 20 cooperatives applied to the program. Nearly 30 participants from the cooperatives that applied to the program were given 36 hours of face-to-face training on Introduction to Digital Marketing, Social Media Management, Social Media Advertisements (Facebook & Instagram), Fundamentals of E-Commerce and E-Export, Establishment of E-Commerce Site, Product Photography, Google ADS and SEO optimization, Sales in Domestic and International Marketplaces, Trendyol/Hepsiburada/Amazon/ETSY Account Opening and Product Uploading, Product Management, Branding and Marketing. At the end of the training, the participants were given a “certificate of participation”.
10 cooperatives that continued the training and were more enthusiastic about e-commerce were selected. At this stage, with the support of the service provider, associations and cooperatives were provided with their own accounts on national and international digital sales platforms and sales were made from there, and product and market analysis were conducted. Program participants became equipped both theoretically and practically in the fields of digital marketing, e-commerce and e-export, and took an important step in digital transformation. The program was completed at the end of 2023. The Cooperatives Empowered in the Digital Age Program is planned to be implemented again in 2024.
TRAINING AND CONSULTANCY PROGRAM FOR WOMEN PRODUCERS’ COMMUNITIES
48 hours of training and 48 hours of consultancy services were provided to increase the capacity of 8 women producer associations/cooperatives operating in Bilecik province in terms of production and marketing. The program, which started at the end of 2022, ended in January 2023.
FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING FOR FARMERS
On March 17, 2023, with the cooperation of Söğüt District Agriculture Directorate and the support of Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, 25 farmers in the region were provided with financial literacy training. The faculty was introduced to farmers in the region and their relations were developed.
APPLIED E-COMMERCE AND DIGITAL MARKETING TRAINING AND CONSULTANCY PROGRAM
A training designed to cover every stage from the process of designing individuals’ brands to uploading products to e-export marketplaces was provided to an average of 60 participants for 36 hours/7 days in June 2023 for handicraft and souvenir manufacturers operating in Bilecik. As the second leg of the program, it was aimed to bring the beneficiaries participating in the training together under a common roof, open a common account on the ETSY Platform and list 100 selected products on this platform. In this context, a joint brand called “Rise of Anatolia” was established and the opening of the store on the ETSY platform was completed with this name.
PLANNED ACTIVITIES
EFFORTS TO INCREASE INTER-INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION AND COORDINATION
Within the scope of the regional plan, we are developing cooperation activities with institutions in the TR41 Region in order to ensure that the Agency’s targets for rural development are in harmony with the work carried out by local governments, to develop project ideas emerging in rural areas, to direct support mechanisms correctly and to develop capacity in rural areas through cooperation and coordination activities.
EXAMINATION OF DOMESTIC GOOD PRACTICE EXAMPLES
Together with our stakeholders, we are working to transfer the experiences gained here according to the needs of the region by visiting good practice examples made by local governments, cooperatives and the private sector, especially other development agencies.
TRAINING FOR PRODUCERS
We provide training in areas such as smart/good agriculture and animal husbandry practices, financial literacy, direct marketing, e-commerce, etc. to develop the capacities of farmers producing in the TR41 Region.
APPLIED MODEL AGRICULTURE FIELD STUDY
We plan to conduct role model studies including soil analysis, patterns of products that can be grown, and spraying methods in order to grow agricultural plants that are not yet grown in Bilecik province.
ESTABLISHMENT OF COOPERATION ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAPACITIES OF RURAL ORGANIZATIONS (UNIONS, COOPERATIVES) IN ESKİŞEHİR
We aim to organize events in order to develop the institutional capacities of unions, cooperatives and especially women’s cooperatives operating in rural areas in Eskişehir and to find alternative markets for the products of cooperatives producing.
DETERMINATION OF RURAL TOURISM INVESTMENT FOCUSES
We are conducting studies to determine the investments to be made in idle tourism areas in Bursa, Eskişehir and Bilecik region, to create a roadmap and to seek investors.
DEVELOPMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR PROMOTION AND BRANDING IN RURAL TOURISM FOCUSES
We plan to carry out promotional activities for the promotion and branding of historical and cultural heritage that provides input to tourism in Bursa, determination of travel routes, preparation of promotional materials, and training activities to develop institutional capacity.
