Standard Summary Project Fiche

The rate of registered unemployment (7.92%) is not high compared to national average (8.92%), since
most of the registered unemployed people are dominantly male and the rate of women participation to
labor force is relatively low. While the rate of male wage earners to the total male employment is
38.78%, the rate of female wage earners to the total female employment is 4.99%. This figure shows
that, in general, the reason for women to be involved in employment is not to generate income. Their
activities are in general low value added activities such as working in family-owned businesses.
One of the most important environmental problems of the region is domestic wastewater. There is no
wastewater treatment plant in the region except Iğdır province. Iğdır city center has its own
wastewater treatment plant, yet not operational. Solid wastes constitute another severe problem. There
is no sanitary landfill in any of the provinces. They are disposed with outmoded methods.
A SWOT analysis has been made with the participation of provincial governors, representatives of
municipalities and non-governmental organizations. It is a framework for the determination of
objectives, strategies and priorities envisaged by DAP Master Plan prepared for the region. The
SWOT analysis indicated that the region faces a number of significant constraints hindering its future
development that need to be addressed. These include:
• Insufficiency in transportation infrastructure
• Lack of producers’ organizations and civil society associations
• Fragmented land units and
• Use of traditional methods in agriculture
• Small and scattered residential areas because of topographic structure
• Lack of industry focusing on the livestock production
• Lack of vegetable and fruit processing enterprises (especially in Iğdır)
• Inadequacy in the protection of land and water resources
• Problem of soil erosion and stony areas
• Insufficiency in the rehabilitation of pastures
• Poor variety of product
• Marketing problems
• Insufficient qualified workforce
• Inefficient utilisation of the land
Alongside these problems, the region has a number of strengths, which can be further developed
• Convenient agricultural areas (especially in vegetable and livestock production)
• Being a border region.
• Existence of micro-climate areas (in Iğdır)
• Potential of alternative tourism activities (climbing, nature and winter tourism)
• Possibility of handicraft to be developed in Ardahan and Iğdır
b. TR72 (Kayseri) NUTS II Region
Kayseri NUTS II region is situated east of Ankara, having three provinces, Kayseri, Sivas and Yozgat.
It includes considerable amount of plateaus as well as mountain landscapes. The region covers a total
surface area of 59.886 square km. Within the province of Kayseri, which is located at the southern part
of Kızılırmak River Basin in Central Anatolia, there exist the highest mountain of Central Anatolia
region called Mountain Erciyes. Sivas has a characteristic climate different from neighbouring cities.
Terrestrial climate is seen in Sivas, summers are too hot and rainless (dry), while winters are snowy.
The province of Yozgat, situated in the middle part of Kızılırmak River Basin of Central Anatolia, is
located heavily on plateaus, especially Bozok Plateau.
Project Fiche Regional development EU Programming 2004 29