Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
In Diyarbakır, 13 farmers will soon be cultivating their fields without touching a steering wheel, thanks to the “Digital Footprint on Soil Project” launched by GAP International Agricultural Research and Training Center (GAPUTAEM). The initiative is funded by the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Regional Development Administration and supported by Turkey’s General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM).
Operating since 1962, GAPUTAEM has significantly contributed to regional and national agriculture, developing high-yield varieties of wheat, barley, lentils, chickpeas, cotton, rice, forage, and medicinal plants—boosting both farmer productivity and industrial quality.
As part of the project, automatic steering systems are being installed on tractors in five districts: Bismil, Silvan, Yenişehir, Çınar, and Sur. These systems allow farmers to perform sowing, spraying, and fertilizing entirely autonomously using GPS-guided navigation—eliminating the need for manual control.
To ensure seamless connectivity, base stations have been installed in all five districts to guard against satellite signal loss. The system is expected to reduce fuel, pesticide, and fertilizer consumption, improving efficiency and sustainability.
The auto-steering equipment will be installed within a week, and in future phases, participating farmers will also receive support for variable-rate fertilization systems tailored to crop development.
In Diyarbakır, 13 farmers will soon be cultivating their fields without touching a steering wheel, thanks to the “Digital Footprint on Soil Project” launched by GAP International Agricultural Research and Training Center (GAPUTAEM). The initiative is funded by the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Regional Development Administration and supported by Turkey’s General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM).
Operating since 1962, GAPUTAEM has significantly contributed to regional and national agriculture, developing high-yield varieties of wheat, barley, lentils, chickpeas, cotton, rice, forage, and medicinal plants—boosting both farmer productivity and industrial quality.
As part of the project, automatic steering systems are being installed on tractors in five districts: Bismil, Silvan, Yenişehir, Çınar, and Sur. These systems allow farmers to perform sowing, spraying, and fertilizing entirely autonomously using GPS-guided navigation—eliminating the need for manual control.
To ensure seamless connectivity, base stations have been installed in all five districts to guard against satellite signal loss. The system is expected to reduce fuel, pesticide, and fertilizer consumption, improving efficiency and sustainability.
The auto-steering equipment will be installed within a week, and in future phases, participating farmers will also receive support for variable-rate fertilization systems tailored to crop development.
