Mersin Metropolitan Municipality continues to support family incomes through its exemplary rural development initiative, “Let’s Support Our Village” (Hadi Gel Köyümüze Destek Verelim), which has become a model for Türkiye.
Implemented by the Agricultural Services Department, the project provides 60 new breeders each year with a total of 25 small livestock animals 24 females and 1 male. In addition to livestock distribution, beneficiaries also receive feed support and one year of vaccination services.
9,000 Small Livestock Distributed to 360 Breeders in Seven Years
Designed to create employment opportunities for low-income families living in rural areas and to increase the region’s small livestock population, the project has, over the past seven years, delivered 9,000 small livestock animals and 1,440 tons of feed to 360 breeders.
Distinguished by its sustainability model, the program requires beneficiary breeders to pass on 25 animals through births occurring within five years to new breeders, ensuring the continuity and expansion of the project.
To date, livestock have been delivered to breeders in the following districts:
16 in Anamur, 5 in Aydıncık, 23 in Akdeniz, 8 in Bozyazı, 14 in Çamlıyayla, 44 in Erdemli, 29 in Gülnar, 10 in Mezitli, 30 in Mut, 45 in Silifke, 4 in Yenişehir, 88 in Tarsus, and 44 in Toroslar.
Yeni: “I Am Very Happy to Benefit from This Project.”
A significant number of the beneficiaries of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality’s “Let’s Support Our Village” project are women breeders. One of them is Seda Yeni, who resides in Küçükkösebalcı Neighborhood in Tarsus. Carefully tending to her herd, which has expanded through new births, Yeni expresses her happiness at benefiting from the Municipality’s project.
“We applied for the project and were accepted. I honestly did not expect it, but I was very happy when we were selected. Many of the animals delivered were pregnant. We now have seven lambs. We are feeding and raising them in a healthy way,” she said.
Stating that they are engaged in agricultural production but have been facing financial losses, Yeni added, “For us, livestock production is a very important opportunity. We thought that hopefully we could earn income from animal husbandry. It was truly a great opportunity for us to be selected for this project. I would like to sincerely thank our Mayor, Vahap Seçer, for implementing such a project.”
Ahu Arıkan: “Our Project Is a Sustainable Livestock Initiative”
Ahu Arıkan, an Agricultural Engineer working at the Agricultural Services Department, stated: “Our project has been ongoing since 2020 and is a sustainable livestock initiative. Through the project, we provide our citizens with small livestock, feed, and vaccination support. Each year, we deliver 25 small livestock animals and 4 tons of feed to 60 breeders. We select beneficiaries from rural residents between the ages of 25 and 45 who have low income and wish to expand their herds.”
Noting that a total of 9,000 animals and 1,440 tons of feed have been provided to 360 breeders so far, Arıkan said: “In 2022, 556 animals; in 2023, 1,180 animals; and in 2024 and 2025, 1,500 small livestock animals were collected from existing breeders and delivered to new breeders. In this way, the project cycle has continued successfully. Thanks to this model, no breeding animal costs have been paid from the municipal budget over the last two years, ensuring full sustainability.”
