IC İçtaş Construction supports the “Water Risks Project,” carried out in collaboration with SKD Turkey and Ankara University

Oct 01, 2026

The Business World and Sustainable Development Association (SKD Turkey) and the Institute of Water Management at Ankara University are launching the “Water Risks Project” in Central Anatolia, with the goal of raising awareness about water efficiency and the water footprint in agriculture. The project will be carried out with Ülker as the main sponsor and Sütaş, Brisa, PepsiCo, Toros Tarım, Türk Traktör, and IC İçtaş İnşaat as supporting sponsors. The project will be carried out in the Kırıkkale region (Delice district), an area with high agricultural potential where no studies or analyses on drip irrigation for wheat have been conducted to date.

In line with the National Water Plan published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the project will conduct a study on water efficiency per unit area. As part of this effort, farmers will receive training to prevent over-irrigation and application errors. The impact of rising temperatures on productivity will be monitored using temperature models published by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).

In the project’s pilot phase, water efficiency will be monitored for wheat, grain corn, and silage corn. Drip irrigation systems will be installed for wheat production on 40 dekar, silage corn on 33 dekar, and grain corn on 18 dekar. By comparing these results with production achieved through traditional irrigation on areas of the same size, crop yield and water footprint analyses will be prepared for wheat and corn. The project’s activities will be coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökşen Çapar, Director of the Ankara University Institute of Water Management, and carried out by Prof. Dr. Süleyman Kodal, Prof. Dr. Y. Ersoy Yıldırım, Prof. Dr. Yeşim Ahi, Lecturer Çiğdem Coşkun Dilcan, and Lecturer Tolga Pilevneli under the coordination of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökşen Çapar, Director of the Institute of Water Management at Ankara University.

Based on the findings from the project, a report will be prepared containing data analyses on water efficiency, water quality, soil fertility, drought risks, and the impacts of climate change. The report, which will serve as a key resource for sustainable agricultural practices in our country, will be submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry along with SKD Turkey’s proposed solutions.

About the Business World and Sustainable Development Association (SKD Turkey):
The Business World and Sustainable Development Association (SKD Turkey) was founded in 2004 under the leadership of 13 private-sector representatives and is a business association that accepts only corporate memberships.
As the regional network and business partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in Turkey, SKD Turkey shares the sustainability expertise gained through this partnership with its members via working group activities and with stakeholders across various platforms.