Nişmiye Güler/JINHA

WAN - Women have started natural agricultural production near the Kurdish town of Edremit with the goal of getting involved in production.

The municipal government in the district of Edremit has started a project to bring women back to nature. The project, called "Tree of Life," provides a space for women to produce their own food. Three women farmers work full-time in three gardens. One is dedicated to a test orchard, one to pear trees and the third to tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and green beans.

Saime Demiroğlu, an agricultural engineer working in the Edremit municipal government's Women's Politicies Directorate, is leading the project.

"We wanted to give them an opportunity to produce with their own hands, sell this in the markets and also be able to bring what they produce home," said Saime. "The current generation just knows how to pick in the fields. We wanted to show them how to look after everything, from the moment the seed touches the ground to the end." Saime, who noted that the earth in the Serhat region of Kurdistan "has never been polluted," said that this provides them with the ideal environment for farming organic products.

University student Berivan Benek is working at Tree of Life over her summer vacation.

"You can't say we're a society that's far from nature, but it feels different to take part in the agricultural activities that we've deemphasized, to be able to grow something with your own hands here, to experience that and then to consume what you've produced. When you see what you've done, you prioritize yourself," said Berivan.

"'Woman' means producing, making, beautifying what exists. Under current conditions, our women are busy just mourning. Women are forced to dress in black and just sit there," said Berivan, commenting on conditions for women in war-torn Kurdistan. She called for people to "benefit from nature's blessings and give up war.

"Let's make our goal planting and tending the land, not drawing borders and planting mines," said Berivan.

Leyla Benek, another of the women, was stuck at home preparing for exams until she applied to work at Tree of Life.

"It's been three months since we planted our garden," said Leyla. "Until now, I had never gone out to the garden. I was always busy with school and classes. Since I came here, I've become closer to nature. Here, it's both work and a social activity." Once a week, the women pick the mature vegetables and sell them in local markets. Some take vegetables home to dry them for later use.

Semra Kodaş, another woman at Tree of Life, said that she got involved in the project to be able to provide healthy fruit and vegetables to her children. She spends five hours a day, starting at 7 a.m., in the garden.

"The time passes really well here," said Semra.

(ht/gc/cm)