Minister Yumaklı Launches 2026 Rural Development Investment Program with 10 Billion Lira Budget
Ankara, April 29 – Turkey’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı, announced today that the application period for the 2026 Rural Development Investment Program has officially begun. The program earmarks a significant 10 billion Lira budget to support entrepreneurs, aiming to boost production, employment, and technological transformation in rural areas.
In a video message, Minister Yumaklı highlighted that this initiative marks a new era for rural development investments. He emphasized that the program incorporates several new regulations, including increased grant rates and higher project value limits compared to previous years.
Increased Grant Rates and Project Limits
Under the new program, projects ranging from 100,000 TL to 30 million TL will be eligible for grant support, covering 50-70 percent of the project cost, including VAT. This substantial increase in both the grant rate and the project limit is designed to encourage more extensive and impactful investments in rural sectors.
Minister Yumaklı underscored the diverse range of sectors that will receive support, including modern greenhouses, animal production facilities, agricultural technologies, aquaculture, beekeeping, and modern irrigation systems.
Positive Discrimination for Young and Female Entrepreneurs, and Family Businesses
A key feature of the 2026 program is its commitment to inclusivity and empowerment. Minister Yumaklı announced a special incentive for young and female entrepreneurs, as well as family businesses. At least 20 percent of the program’s budget will be allocated to projects led by young and female entrepreneurs, while 30 percent will be reserved for family businesses.
“We continue to apply positive discrimination to our youth and women in our rural development initiatives,” said Yumaklı. He urged all producers and entrepreneurs, especially those with relevant education, to apply, emphasizing the collective goal of advancing technology and production in rural areas during the ‘Century of Turkey’.
Broad Investment Spectrum
The program encompasses a wide array of investment areas, including:
- Processing, packaging, and storage of agricultural products
- Indoor plant production (high tunnels, modern greenhouses, mushroom cultivation)
- Cattle, small ruminant, and poultry farming, and slaughterhouses
- Aquaculture
- Animal and plant-origin fertilizers
- Common machinery parks for agricultural organizations
- Beekeeping
- Agricultural information systems (smart farming technologies, sensor systems, AI-based solutions, and other IT systems)
- Silkworm breeding
- Investments in renewable energy sources
Beyond traditional production investments, the program also aims to accelerate agricultural transformation by supporting digitalization and advanced technology applications.
Grant Rates of 50-70 Percent
The lower limit for eligible project costs is set at 100,000 TL, with an upper limit of 30 million TL. For family businesses, the upper limit is 8 million TL. The grant rate for accepted projects will be between 50-70 percent.
Specific groups will benefit from higher grant percentages:
- Young people with relevant education: 70 percent
- First-degree agricultural organizations: 70 percent
- Investments in Organized Agricultural Zones: 70 percent
- Women, youth, and investments in villages, towns, or rural areas: 60 percent
An additional 5 percent grant will be provided for renewable energy and automation projects. All grant support will be calculated based on the project cost, including VAT. This new regulation not only aims to increase production capacity but also to support innovative areas such as data-driven production, smart farming applications, automation, and robotic systems.
Support for Water-Saving Agricultural Irrigation Systems
The program also includes significant support for water-saving agricultural irrigation systems. Projects in this category, with an upper limit of 10 million TL including VAT, will receive grant support ranging from 50-70 percent. Eligible investment areas for irrigation systems include:
- In-field systems: drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, micro-sprinkler irrigation, subsurface drip irrigation
- Mechanical large systems: center pivot/linear irrigation systems, reel irrigation systems
- Renewable energy and technology-focused systems: solar-powered irrigation, smart irrigation/automation systems
Application Deadline
All producers and entrepreneurs interested in investing in rural areas can submit their applications until June 12, 2026.
Source: dha.com.tr
