Silvan Project to Triple Agricultural Production
· AA Tarım & Ekonomi
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı announced that the 360 billion lira Silvan Project will irrigate 2.35 million decares of land, boosting regional agricultural production to over 7 million tons.
Major Irrigation Review in Diyarbakır
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı conducted comprehensive inspections on August 12, 2026, in Diyarbakır, at the Silvan Dam, part of the Silvan Project, and the ongoing construction of the Babakaya and Silvan irrigation tunnels. Minister Yumaklı was accompanied by numerous bureaucrats and local administrators during his visits. Speaking after the site inspections, Yumaklı referenced the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion, highlighting the project's strategic importance for the region. Evaluating the reflection of the peace environment on production, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated:
"This means more investment, production, employment, prosperity, and peace for us. Consequently, the sum of these undoubtedly means a stronger Turkey. Today, here in Silvan, we are at one of its strongest examples. One of the most significant gains of life without terror is to elevate the production power of these lands, which have not been able to fully realize their potential for years, much further. Our goal is a Turkey where peace is strengthened by investment, investment by production, production by employment, and employment by lasting prosperity."
Quarter-Century Investments in Southeastern Anatolia
According to the Ministry's statement, over 2,400 water projects have been implemented by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works in the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions over the last quarter-century. Conveying the economic dimension of the region's dams and irrigation facilities, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı noted:
"The total cost of these projects amounts to over 1.3 trillion lira at today's figures. With these investments, we have opened 7.1 million decares of land for irrigation. Today, these facilities constitute significant infrastructure contributing 119 billion lira annually to the regional economy. During this period, we have also realized engineering marvels such as the Mardin-Ceylanpınar Main Canal. World-class structures like the Ilısu Dam have also been brought to our country during the terms of our governments. Now, the Silvan Project is nearing completion as one of the most important links in the investment will. It is targeted to be completed with 7/24 work. The Silvan Project is one of Turkey's largest irrigation endeavors after the Atatürk Dam irrigations."
Agricultural Targets and Production Increase of the Silvan Project
The total investment cost of the Silvan Project, which includes 8 dams and 23 irrigation facilities, has reached approximately 360 billion lira. Bringing 2.35 million decares of fertile land under irrigation means opening an area equivalent to 330,000 football fields to modern irrigation. Detailing the yield and employment targets according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry data, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı shared the following information:
"What does this mean? It means our farmers will get more product and more income from the same field. If we consider wheat alone, it means getting at least twice as much yield. It means being able to cultivate more crops with second, even third, planting cycles. It means being able to cultivate high value-added products. It means increasing agricultural production power with a diversified crop pattern. When the project is fully completed, we will have tripled the production on 2.35 million decares. With current figures, there is a production of 2.3 million tons. This will exceed 7 million tons of production. Upon completion, the Silvan Project will contribute approximately 43 billion lira to our economy. Approximately 305,000 people will be employed directly and indirectly. This project is not just an irrigation project. The Silvan Project is a development project. The heart of the project is the Silvan Dam. The Silvan Dam, with a height of 175 meters from its foundation, is one of the most important engineering structures of its class in Turkey and Europe."
Current Status of Silvan Dam and Babakaya Tunnel
In addition to the Silvan Dam, whose main body construction is complete, the Pamukçay, Başlar, Kuruçay, and Ambar dams have been finished; expropriation and construction preparations are ongoing for the Bulaklıdere, Kıbrıs, and Karacalar dams. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı made statements regarding the dam's water storage plan and underground transmission systems:
"The main body construction of the Silvan Dam is complete. We have completed our inspections. With the completion of other manufacturing processes, we will hopefully begin water storage at the Silvan Dam starting September 2027. The issue here is not just storing water, but also delivering it to the land and converting it into production. For this, two rivers are being built underground from the Silvan Dam to here. The first of these is the Babakaya Tunnel. It consists of two separate tubes. It consists of two tubes, each approximately 5,320 meters long. The total discharge of both tunnels is 212 cubic meters per second. To give you an idea of the magnitude of the water we will transfer: it can fill an Olympic swimming pool in 13 seconds. Approximately 600 meters remain for the completion of excavation in the first tube, and 1600 meters in the second tube. We anticipate their completion by March 2027."
Silvan Tunnel and Regional Development Goals
Minister Yumaklı stated that the Silvan Tunnel, the other leg of the transmission line, is 13.2 kilometers long and has a diameter of 10 meters, and that after the tunnel, a 98-kilometer four-stage main canal will be constructed, providing 76 million cubic meters of drinking water annually to Batman province. Evaluating the tunnel's dimensions and development vision, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı said:
"It is 13.2 kilometers long, with a diameter of 10 meters, large enough for a Doğanay submarine to pass through comfortably. Upon completion, it will be Turkey's largest tunnel used for this purpose. We hope to complete this by 2027."
Emphasizing that the law's acceptance by the Grand National Assembly with 467 votes was a national consensus, Minister Yumaklı thanked the State Hydraulic Works employees, engineers, and regional producers, stating that the new water transmission lines will strengthen Turkey's food security.