From Land Consolidation to Diversification: Cost Recovery and Agricultural Transition in Rural Türkiye

Year 2026, Volume: 32 Issue: 1, 186 - 201, 20.01.2026

Orhan Ercan , Abdurrahman Tursun , Erdem Ercan

https://doi.org/10.15832/ankutbd.1758003

Abstract

The present study explores how land consolidation (LC) can bring about meaningful changes in rural Türkiye, with a particular attention to cost recovery and the diversification following consolidation. Using the case of Ikitepe Village, it shows that LC is more than just reorganizing land boundaries; it acts as a strategic policy tool that helps reshape rural areas. The project resulted in a 50% reduction in the number of parcels, nearly eliminated shared ownership, and enhanced mechanization suitability from 40% to 99%. These changes helped improve land use efficiency, farming infrastructure, and ownership clarity. Alongside these technical outcomes, the study observed a notable shift toward high-value crops, suggesting that farmers are now making more market-oriented choices. The fact that investment costs were recovered within 41 months points to the strong economic feasibility of such projects. While research on either economic returns or cropping patterns exists, it is rare to find studies that examine both together. By placing Türkiye’s experience within a broader global context, this study calls attention to the importance of forward thinking, inclusive planning that continues even after the physical work of consolidation ends. It highlights LC not just as a technical intervention but as a key to rural transformation, connecting land use, fairness, and agricultural modernization.

Keywords

Land consolidation , Cost recovery , Crop diversification , Agricultural policy , Rural transformation , Spatial equity

Thanks

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Sinan Demirbaş, Head of the Department of Land Consolidation and On-Farm Development Services at the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ), Türkiye, for his kind support and for providing the geospatial datasets that significantly contributed to this research.

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