ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PROGRAMME, DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION

In recent decades, unconscious use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers have led to the production of poor quality and unhealthy products despite of yield increases.

For the solution of these problems, it is of vital importance to shift from conventional agriculture to sustainable agricultural production techniques giving priority to environment, ecology, and human health. Organic agriculture is one of the most important components of the sustainable agriculture. It is an environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural production method within the framework of specific principles and obligations. It aims not only to increase the production but also to enhance the quality of the product towards re-setting the broken natural equilibrium as a result of the faulty practices of human beings.

With organic agricultural production.

• The broken natural equilibrium can be reverted,
• Controlled, certified and non-harmful agricultural goods are produced.
• Soil fertility will be enhanced.
• Plant, animal, and human health are protected due to environmentally friendly production practices without polluting the soil, water and atmosphere.
• Finally, and more importantly, the quality of the agricultural products will be enhanced.

Organic agriculture has become a rapidly developing sector worldwide including Turkey. With the increasing awareness of the consumers demand for healthy and balanced nutrition has substantially increased. However, there is an extremely significant shortage of technical staff qualified on organic agriculture in public and private organizations. Turkish agriculture can achieve a strong and viable status, competitive in international markets with the use of sustainable agricultural practices and overcoming the shortages impeding the organic production.

The Aim of the Organic Agriculture Programme:

In an effort to fulfil the broad objective of covering the staff needs of the rapidly growing and developing organic agriculture sector, the Organic Agriculture Programme aims to train comprehensive and entrepreneurial talented staff, able to consciously use and apply organic agriculture techniques, to be employed in public and private institutions.

Graduates of this Programme should be equipped with the modern, environmentally friendly production techniques allowing to produce, process, store and control all kinds of plant and animal products and even inputs meeting the rules of organic agriculture to save ecological balance.

Basically, Organic Agriculture Programme also comprises the conventional production systems even though it follows the guidelines for the agricultural production within the context of organic production principles. For that reason, graduates are equipped also with conventional agricultural production methods along with the specific organic agriculture techniques and actual advancements on organic agriculture during their two-year education.

Organic Agriculture Programme; offers a two-year formal education programme and accepts students with Basic Ability Test Exam (TYT) score.

Organic Agriculture Programme of our Vocational School was established under the department of Plant and Animal production in 2010 and has started to accept students since the 2011-12 academic year. The programme has four permanent teaching staff, expert at their topic. Our vocational school has well-lit classrooms with projector facilities and sufficiently provides computer and internet access facilities to the students. Organic Agriculture Programme is designed as a two-year (four semesters) full time programme and students are required to complete a minimum of 33 courses not less than 120 ECTS credits, along with an internship of 40 working days for the successful completion.

Upon their successful completion of theoretical and applied courses and other compulsory requirements, Graduates of the Organic Agriculture Programme are given associate degree diploma and the title of Organic Farming Technician. They can be employed by Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Institutes, Municipalities, Agricultural Sales Cooperatives, Agricultural Credit Cooperatives and Agricultural Development Cooperatives, organic agriculture farms, private organizations supplying inputs (seed, organic fertilizers, and pesticides) for organic agriculture, organic agriculture certifying organizations, and small and medium-sized agricultural industry enterprises. They also do organic farming.

Moreover, graduates of this programme can continue their higher education in relevant departments of agricultural faculties, e.g. Departments of Horticulture, Plant Protection, Field Crops, Soil science and Plant Nutrition, in case they obtain required minimum score from the Vertical Transfer Examination. They also continue their higher education without Vertical Transfer Examination score in Faculties of Economics or Management via distance education provided by some universities such as Atatürk, and Eskişehir Anadolu universities.