The purpose of this study is to compare innovative technology usage levels of dairy farms, supported and non-supported by The Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance-Rural Development (IPARD) program, by scoring their usage level of 10 innovative technologies in their dairy farms. Another purpose of the study is to determine the factors associated with the innovative technology usage levels of dairy farms. The main material of the study is dairy farms supported and not supported by the IPARD program in Konya. Full count sampling method was used when determining the dairy farms supported by IPARD Program and Neyman allocation sampling method was used when determining the dairy farm non-supported by IPARD program. Research data were collected from 50 dairy farms supported by IPARD program and 100 dairy farms non-supported by IPARD program by administering a questionnaire filled during the face-to-face interviews conducted with each individual respondent. As a result of the study, it was determined that the average gross production values and gross profits of dairy farms supported by IPARD program were 4 times higher than those non-supported by IPARD program. While innovative technology usage level of dairy farms non-supported by IPARD program were entirely low level, 90% of dairy farms supported by IPARD program were high level. From the point of view of dairy farm scale, it was determined that innovative technology usage levels were high (69.84%) in dairy farms that had 51 and more milking cows. As a result of chi-square independence test, statistically significant relationship was found between innovative technology usage level of dairy farm and 12 of 13 factors.

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The most remarkable technology brought to dairy farms by the digital transformation in agriculture is undoubtedly robotic milking systems (RMS). Knowing the economic impact of this technology is essential for farmers to adopt. For this purpose, in the study; a simulation model was created that gives possible economic analysis results as a result of the use of RMS by using the current economic analysis results of dairy farms. For the economic analysis of dairy farms, data obtained from face-to-face surveys from 148 dairy farms were used. Assumptions used in the simulation model for comparing RMS and conventional milking systems (CMS) were 8.66% increase in milk yield, 58.46% increase in investment costs, 36.66% increase in energy consumption, 1.33% increase in feed costs and 27.84% decrease in labor input. The economic analysis of the dairy farms was made again with these new input and output values obtained. While the simulation results show that the use of RMS is a preferable investment that increases profitability for 10-60 head and 121 + head groups; it shows that it will be an investment that negatively affects profitability for the 61-120 head group. The simulation model was used by taking the average values of the data belonging to the dairy farm groups. A dairy farmer considering an RMS investment can be able to obtain a result specific to his farm if he combines the simulation model with his own economic analysis results.

European Union (EU) uses The Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) to prepare candidate and potential candidate countries for EU membership. One of the five components of IPA is rural development (IPARD). IPARD funds provide financing to develop production standards of agricultural establishments for competing with other establishments in EU member states. For this purpose, in Turkey IPARD I programme was applied between 2007 and 2013 and IPARD II programme was prepared to apply from 2014 to 2020. The purpose of this study is comparing structural differences of IPARD I and IPARD II programme which are important tools to increase competitiveness of agricultural establishments in Turkey. The main material of the study was IPARD I and IPARD II programs. In the study, firstly, the support given within the scope of IPARD programs were presented as tables and graphs. Structural differences between the two programmes were examined under three headings; targets of programmes, budgets of programmes and eligibility criteria. In the result of this study, changes and the actual statue of this important financial tool was revealed. Most important changes were public aid rates and new supporting sectors. Regarding to the public aid rates, while the highest rate was 65% in IPARD I, it is 70% in IPARD II. Also an additional 10% can be given for investments in effluent storage and waste management for benefit of the environment in IPARD II. In IPARD II; egg production, mushroom cultivation, machinery parks and renewable energy plants sectors are added to supporting sectors.

The main purpose of this study is to determination of agricultural structure and mechanization features of agricultural enterprises in Karaman province. The main material of the study is statistical data of Turkish Statistical Institute (TSI) of 2009 – 2018 years for Karaman province. According to the data of Karaman province in 2009 and 2018, the average tractor power is 34.92 kW and 35.33 kW; the average tractor power per cultivated areas 2.45 kWha-1 and 1.93 kWha-1; the number of tractors per 1,000 ha is 52.27 and 40.76; the cultivated area per tractor is 19.13 ha and 24.54 ha, respectively. The number of equipment per tractor is 10.66 and 9.86, and the number of combine harvester per 1,000 ha is 0.47 and 0.55.