Primary school students are receiving organic farming training to help prevent agricultural waste from polluting the Kızılırmak Delta Bird Sanctuary, a site included on UNESCO’s Tentative World Heritage List.

Prof. Dr. Ali Kemal Ayan, Faculty Member at Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) Faculty of Agriculture, stated:

“Our aim is to leave cleaner soil, cleaner water resources, and a cleaner environment for future generations. We wanted to start this journey with the new generation. We established children’s farmer clubs in three villages and primary schools. There, we teach children about the power of soil and seeds and the importance of protecting the land.”

In Samsun, organic farming education is being provided to the “farmers of the future” as part of efforts to prevent agricultural pollution in the Kızılırmak Delta Bird Sanctuary.

The “Kızılırmak Delta Entrusted to Young Farmers Project” is being implemented under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Ali Kemal Ayan from OMU’s Faculty of Agriculture, with support from the United Nations Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme and the Bafra Young Businesspeople Association.

Within the scope of the project, primary school students receive both practical and theoretical training in organic agriculture to help protect the delta ecosystem from agricultural waste and chemical pollution.

Teaching Children the Importance of Soil, Seeds, and Sustainable Agriculture

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Prof. Dr. Ayan described the Kızılırmak Delta as a globally important natural heritage site.

To help safeguard the delta from agricultural pollution, children attending primary schools in the surrounding communities of Üçpınar, Yeşilyazı, and Doğanca are being trained in environmentally friendly agricultural practices.

Ayan explained:

“Our goal is to leave future generations cleaner soil, cleaner water resources, and a cleaner environment. For this reason, we decided to begin with children. We established children's farmer clubs in three villages and schools, where we teach the importance of soil, seeds, and sustainable production.”

He added that students are also learning how to produce compost from household waste.

Preserving a World Heritage Site Through Sustainable Practices

As part of the project, seedlings grown from traditional heirloom seeds have been planted in larger cultivation areas, while compost produced by students is used as natural fertilizer.

The greenhouses established within the schools are irrigated using harvested rainwater.

Ayan emphasized:

“We are working to protect this natural area, which is a heritage of both Samsun and the world, by preventing contamination from agricultural chemicals. By empowering children to become guardians of clean agriculture, we are helping preserve both the environment and the bird sanctuary. We believe these children will carry this awareness into the future.”

According to Ayan, approximately 60 students from three schools have participated in organic farming training over the past year.

Promoting Sustainable Living and Environmental Awareness

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Arife Şimşek from the OMU Hemp Research Institute noted that the project is supported through the United Nations Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme.

Şimşek explained that the project aims to protect agricultural lands surrounding the Kızılırmak Delta and encourage more ecological and sustainable farming practices.

“We established children’s and youth farmer clubs within the project. By teaching young people about organic agriculture, we aim to protect both the environment and agricultural land more effectively. Ultimately, we want to promote sustainable living and a sustainable environment, and we are working to instill these values in children.”

Encouraging the Next Generation of Farmers

Bafra District Governor Mustafa Altınpınar highlighted the importance of the project in developing environmental awareness, strengthening children’s sense of responsibility, and promoting cleaner agricultural production.

He described the initiative as:

“The first seed of much larger achievements to come. Today, the number of young farmers is steadily declining, and agriculture is increasingly carried out by middle-aged and older generations. We see this project as an opportunity to rekindle young people's interest in and appreciation for agriculture.”

Participating students said they had learned how to practice organic farming in the greenhouse established at their school.