A model of agricultural entrepreneurship from Konya to the rest of Turkey
Konya University of Food and Agriculture (KFAU) demonstrates its institutional capacity in the field of agricultural education and extension not only through its academic infrastructure but also through its proven practical experience in the field at a national level. The “From Idea to Harvest: Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Agriculture Programme”, implemented by the university in partnership with the Hüyük Youth Camp under the General Directorate of Youth Services of the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Turkey, offered a sustainable agriculture-focused perspective—ranging from climate-resilient farming to innovative processing technologies for plant-based products and value-added strategies—to approximately 1,400 young participants from various provinces and regions across Turkey over 32 training sessions last year. The programme is continuing in 2026 with new training sessions and a target of 2,000 students.
“UNIVERSITY KNOWLEDGE IS BEING BROUGHT TO THE FIELD”
Emphasising that the knowledge produced by universities should not remain confined within campus boundaries, Rector Prof. Dr Erol Turan stated that the programme serves as a practical platform where the university’s academic expertise is directly shared with young people. Prof. Dr. Turan said, “We demonstrate our institutional capacity in agricultural education and extension activities not only through our academic infrastructure but also through our practical experience, which has been proven in the field and deepened through diverse partnerships. This programme, which we are running at the Hüyük Youth Camp, is a concrete demonstration that knowledge does not remain confined to where it is produced.”
YOUNG PEOPLE FROM 81 PROVINCES ENGAGE WITH CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE
As part of the programme, young participants from all 81 provinces of Turkey, representing diverse disciplines and perspectives, are introduced to new-generation climate-smart agricultural systems and practices centred on climate change, strategies and applications aimed at creating high added value in crop products, as well as perspectives and examples of agricultural entrepreneurship in the new world. To ensure the theoretical knowledge shared becomes firmly established, practical sessions on the same topics are also held at the camp site.
Prof. Dr Turan, emphasising that the young people in the programme are not merely listeners but active participants, stated: “We do not limit the broad content—ranging from climate-resilient agriculture to innovative processing technologies for plant-based products and value-added strategies—to theory alone; we reinforce it through practical activities at the camp site. Our aim is to equip our young people with a holistic perspective that enables them to turn an idea into a harvest.”
PROGRAMME CITED IN THE TURKISH GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
The programme’s impact at a national level was further confirmed when the Minister for Youth and Sport of the Republic of Turkey directly highlighted the Hüyük Youth Camp and this programme during the 2026 budget debates in the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
“OUR GRADUATES HAVE ESTABLISHED THEIR OWN ENTREPRENEURIAL MODELS”
Noting that many of the students who have graduated from the training programmes to date have already established successful agricultural entrepreneurship models, Rector Turan added that these young people continue to maintain their links with Konya University of Food and Agriculture.
