• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
• /
• 2005.09b
• /
• pp.969-970
• /
• 2005

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.87-111
• /
• 2013

Regional disparities between eastern and western regions is the most of serious problem for balanced regional development in Turkey. The Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) is being implemented to eliminate these regional development disparities. The work that was initially planned as predominantly for hydraulic energy production to utilize water resources of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers more effectively was later transformed into an integrated multi-sector regional development project. This study noted that this region had very limited cash crop production because of the constraints of semi-arid climate of the southeastern region, however, later, it has changed Turkey's major cotton producing region since Southeastern Anatolia Project carried out. Therefore, this study investigated background, process, and content of the Southeastern Anatolia Project with respect to high cotton productivity in this region and examined the dynamic changes of cotton productivity in this region. In addition, Sanliurfa prefecture is one of the main development axes of the Southeastern Anatolia Project, because government investments are concentrated on this prefecture. Therefore, this study examined the background and process of cotton farming growth in this prefecture. In 2011, Sanliurfa prefecture produced 37.6% of Turkey's total cotton production. This is mainly due to agricultural infrastructure expansion such as land consolidation, irrigation, roads and farm roads. Also, it is one of the main factor that subsidies paid to farmers for cotton cultivation. The introduction of irrigation has dramatically changed the direction of seasonal migration of this area. Prior to irrigation, this area had a serious social issue about out-migration for seasonal labor to other areas. However, the introduction of irrigation made this area that changed to in-migration and intramigration for cotton cultivation. Irrigation water is supplied to farmers through the WUAs (Water User Associations) that handed over irrigation water management, operation from DSI (General Directorate of State of Hydraulic Works). However, the WUAs are under the influence of Ashiret, a traditional feudal social structure. Because of this reason, it does not have an efficient management for farmers. Also, it is one of the reasons that this area does not have autonomous farmer organization.