A RURAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL FOR THE THRACE REGION, ORGANISED AGRICULTURAL ZONE

Abstract

For the protection of soil and water resources and providing the sustainable development in the Thrace region, a new model has been proposed for the best utilising the agricultural potential of the Thrace region where the cultivatable agricultural land covers about 82% of the total area. The model which has been taken into consideration in terms of rural development is based on the forming and construction of the organised agricultural zones (OAZs) and the agricultural sub-zones (ASZs) in the Thrace region. Since the development of the specialised and organised agricultural industry zones, it will be encouraged that to build new agricultural and livestock facilities will increase the potential of agricultural and livestock production in the region. Consequently, the OAZs and the ASZs will provide an increase in the agricultural labour supply and demand in the region and a decrease in the population loss in the rural areas. This proposed model has been applied within the 1/25 000 scale environmental management draft plans of three cities: Edirne, Kirklareli and Tekirdag provinces in the Thrace region.