Over the last 30 years, IFAD has supported 10 projects in Turkey for a total of cost of US$661.1 million, of which IFAD has provided $189 million. Activities have directly benefited 1.3 million households. The geographical focus has been on the poorer and disadvantaged regions and provinces of the country.
The evaluation highlights that the long-standing partnership between IFAD and the government of Turkey is strategically important to both. Beyond IFAD's financing role, there has been demand for IFAD to be a more active player in sharing its technical expertise and international knowledge and experience, as a way to enrich the partnership, especially in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Turkey.
The IFAD-funded projects have helped improve the incomes and quality of life of the rural poor through development of rural infrastructure; made advances in increasing agricultural productivity and supporting commercialization; and achieved modest gains in rural employment and self-sustaining institutions of the rural poor.
However, despite continued government support, the evaluation found that the scope for sustainability of interventions was limited by weak operation and maintenance arrangements in infrastructure and insufficient collaboration with the rural financial sector.