General Secretary of the Eastern Marmara Development Agency, Mustafa Çöpoğlu: ‘We have implemented many projects that revive our products with geographical indications’

Five out of the projects applying for support to ensure local and regional development in the Eastern Marmara Region were found successful. During the signing for support, Mustafa Çöpoğlu, the Secretary-General of the Eastern Marmara Development Agency, stated, ‘We have signed many projects that revive our uncultivated, forgotten fields and geographical indication products to reverse the migration from rural to urban areas.’
Kocaeli, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu, and Yalova provinces are covered by the Eastern Marmara Region, where various support mechanisms have been implemented by the Eastern Marmara Development Agency since 2010 to ensure local and regional development. The Agency supports projects through the Technical Support Program aimed at improving the service quality of institutions. Within the scope of the 15th Technical Support Program carried out this year, close to 14 million TL has been allocated since 2010. With this funding, a total of 887 projects have been supported, providing consultancy and training services in various themes. A budget of 10 million TL has been allocated for activities to be supported under the program in 2024. During the March-April period of the 2024 Technical Support Program, 7 project applications were received from the region. Out of a total of 5 projects requesting training and consultancy services to improve the quality of life of disadvantaged groups through the region’s human resources, institutional capacity, production, and service quality, successful projects were identified following preliminary reviews and technical evaluations, making them eligible for support. A signing ceremony was held today in Kocaeli for the projects that were awarded support.

‘We have signed many projects that revive our uncultivated, forgotten fields and geographical indication products’
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mustafa Çöpoğlu, the Secretary-General of the Eastern Marmara Development Agency (MARKA), mentioned, ‘We have many ongoing projects. The Eastern Marmara Development Agency is a region with high potential. Here, we have many universities, technoparks, industrial zones, ports, and free zones. As the agency, we are doing our best to make the most of this potential with the local governments, universities, technoparks, and industrialists in our region. This effort is reflected in the numbers as well. 139 out of the top 500 industrial establishments declared by ISO annually are producing in our region. After Istanbul, our region ranks second in Turkey’s exports. We are in second place after Istanbul in terms of tax revenues collected. We collect over 90% of the taxes. Therefore, this region is a hub for production, industry, and innovation. In line with our budget, we provide significant support for twin transformation efforts to strengthen the industry in the international markets. Our priorities are green transformation and digital transformation. Over the past 6 years, we have made important efforts to strengthen qualified employment. We have signed many projects in Kocaeli at IMES (Advanced Engineering Excellence Center), in Yalova at our training center, and in Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu to meet the needs of qualified labor that the industry in our region requires. Even after the pandemic, many of our projects have been completed regarding rural development, strengthening women producer cooperatives, and enhancing food supply in the context of the SOGEP (Social Development Support Program). We have signed many projects that reverse the migration from rural to urban areas, revitalizing our uncultivated, forgotten fields, and the geographical indication products there.’

Five projects were signed
Within the framework of the March-April period of the Technical Support Program, signatures were made for five projects: Digital Competence Development Project in Technopark (GOSB Technopark Inc.), Elderly Profile and Education Needs Research Project in Bolu Province (Abant Izzet Baysal University Faculty of Health Sciences), Master Plan Preparation for Lean Transformation Studies in Health Institutions Project (Bolu Provincial Health Director), Energy Management System Training (Gebze Municipality), Determination of Sakarya’s Offshore Technologies Potential Project (Sakarya Branch of Girimci Businessmen Foundation).