Assessment of Agricultural Sustainability in Sarikum Lake Basin, Sinop Province, Turkey

Abstract

The sustainability of agriculture in social, economic and environmental dimensions is important in terms of development policies. In this study, agricultural sustainability has been evaluated in social, economic and environmental dimensions. Twenty-one indicators were used and each dimension had 7 indicators. The research was carried out in Sarıkum Lake Basin of Sinop province in Turkey. The information obtained by face-to-face surveys with the farmers and the related statistics were used as data. The index method was used in the evaluation of these data. As a result, agricultural sustainability in the basin was found 13.95% in the environmental dimension, 9.64% in the economic dimension and 16.62% in the social dimension. The agricultural sustainability in Sarikum Lake Basin was determined as 40.21%. As a result of the study, in order to achieve economic sustainability it is necessary to increase the agricultural income, the ratio of irrigated land and the number of agricultural holdings with sufficient income. In order to ensure social sustainability, it is necessary to establish conditions to prevent migration and to ensure that farmers are satisfied with farming. In order to achieve environmental sustainability, it is necessary to increase the amount of protected area and to reduce wild animal damage.