Adıyaman Province Current Situation Analysis Summary

Adıyaman is a province located in the Middle Euphrates Section of Turkey’s Southeastern Anatolia Region. The province’s ecological and climatic diversity allows for a richer crop pattern in agricultural production and enables the cultivation of many products that can adapt to different climate and soil conditions. The high proportion of young population offers significant labour potential for agricultural activities and creates opportunities for long-term agricultural development.

It has a diverse agricultural structure covering orchards, vegetable growing and field crops. The number of small-scale farmers is high due to the potential for organic farming and organic beekeeping as well as substantial areas suitable for small ruminant and cattle farming. Aquaculture, depending on water resources, is also an important source of income.

Field crops such as wheat and barley form the basis of the local agricultural economy, while different types of fruits and vegetables are grown in the districts. Dry farming products such as wheat, barley, chickpeas, tobacco and dried grapes are produced together with orchard products such as olives, pistachios, almonds, pomegranates and figs. In irrigated areas, cotton and oil crops also have an important place.

High-Value Crop Trends

According to the analysis of the last decade of TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) data, a clear upward trend was observed in Adıyaman in the pre-earthquake period both in cultivated areas and in the production volumes of some important products. In particular, increases in almond, walnut, tobacco, pistachio and chickpea production reflect the province’s orientation towards high-value and regionally adapted products in the agricultural sector.

Effects of the Earthquake on Water Systems, Infrastructure and Production

After the earthquake, water channels, irrigation systems and agricultural infrastructure in Adıyaman were seriously affected. Although total irrigation figures remained at similar levels as of 2024, it has been reported that some farmers temporarily lost access to water and turned to emergency support or rain-fed systems. Although water resources are available thanks to dams, high electricity costs restrict irrigation activities and increase the need for transition to pressurised irrigation systems.

Livestock activities are generally based on cattle and small ruminant (sheep and goat) farming. In the post-earthquake period, damage to livestock infrastructure and losses of shelters and equipment have negatively affected production processes. Beekeeping activities continue to develop by benefiting from the province’s natural vegetation.

Labour, Marketing and Climate Risks

Focus group discussions and farmer surveys show that the loss of agricultural equipment, storage facilities and animal shelters temporarily halted production in the post-earthquake period. A serious labour shortage occurred due to migration of the workforce or its shift to other sectors; some agricultural land could not be cultivated.

Most products are sold to traders, while direct sales to processors or factories remain limited. Dependence on intermediaries in the marketing process, price fluctuations and earthquake-damaged storage and product processing infrastructure stand out as important issues. Value added remains low due to limited post-harvest processing and branding.

Farmers stated that they are most affected by climate-related risks such as drought, frost and hail in their production processes. Although there is awareness of the effects of climate change, access to information and training on climate-resilient practices and natural pest control methods is limited. The number and effectiveness of cooperatives and producer organisations also remain limited.

Overall, Adıyaman has strong diversity in agricultural production and a structure that showed growth trends in the pre-earthquake period, but experiences vulnerabilities in infrastructure, labour, water and land management and market access due to the combined effects of earthquake and climate change risks. There is a need for comprehensive and long-term interventions for the repair of agricultural infrastructure, making production resilient to climate change and strengthening small-scale producers.