UNDP and Trendyol expand rural development partnership to new provinces

30 October 2024, Sakarya - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Turkish e-commerce giant Trendyol today opened a new digital center in Taraklı, a historic district in Sakarya province, as their “Villages of Tomorrow” rural development project expands to a third location in Türkiye. Villages of Tomorrow equips participating villages with a host of digital tools, technologies and training to expand markets for local products, promote “smart” agriculture to improve yields and reduce costs, and provide young and old residents alike with a chance to learn cutting-edge digital skills that can open doors to new livelihoods. 

The first digital center of the initiative was launched in December 2023 in the village of Kürkçüler in the Sarıçam district of Adana, followed by a second in Ulamış village in the Seferihisar district of Izmir in May 2024. After the Taraklı opening with the local partnership of Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, similar digital centers will be inaugurated in pilot villages in Diyarbakır and Hatay. By 2028, the project will expand to ten villages in all and involve a total of one million people. These efforts are expected to yield a 60 percent increase in the number of e-commerce entrepreneurs in the participating villages. 

“Our shared aim with Trendyol is to demonstrate how digital tools are powerful allies in development,” said UNDP Resident Representative Louisa Vinton. “By providing training in digital skills to all community members and by opening up global markets for distinctive local products, this center will help to bolster local incomes, equalize opportunities and bridge the gap in living standards between rural and urban areas”.

“The Villages of Tomorrow project will enable local producers to connect with a wider market, both in Türkiye and abroad, while preserving and promoting our distinctive cultural heritage and unique local products,” said Akgün Altuğ, President of the Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which partners with the digital center to help local communities leverage commercial opportunities. “We will provide citizens of all ages with the skills needed to thrive in today's economy and ensure that Sakarya is a pioneer in blending tradition with innovation. We look forward to seeing the positive social, economic and environmental impacts of this cooperation with UNDP and Trendyol in our province and for our members.”

“For Trendyol, as a technology company, closing the digital divide in all areas of life is an important part of our sustainability vision,” said İrem Poyraz, Group Head of Corporate Communications. “With the launch of this third center in Taraklı, we are committed to supporting each stage of production and marketing for a range of local products, from Geyve quince to Göynük’s traditional handicrafts. Our digital centers in villages in Diyarbakır and Hatay are also set to open soon. At Trendyol, we aim to market Anatolia's rich assets, knowing the transformative power and potential of digitalization, particularly for people in rural regions. With UNDP, we mark a significant milestone in our targeted efforts toward sustainable rural development through digitalization. We aim to deliver the products from these centers not only to Türkiye, but also to all markets in which we operate, from Azerbaijan to Germany, from Dubai to the Czech Republic.” 

Each village participating in the project receives support in selecting a shortlist of distinctive local products with high sales potential on national and global markets. For Taraklı, these include Geyve quinces, white pumpkin, persimmons and artichokes, as well as craft products such as Göynük buckle covering, Taraklı weaving and wood carving. 

Community members receive physical and online training in product development, diversification, certification, branding, packaging and e-commerce to expand their market reach and transform traditional local staples into high-value commodities.

Each center is equipped with a training hall and a technology workshop offering use of computers, 3D printers, robotics and coding sets and a small photo studio. Middle school students have access to robotics and coding classes to further develop their digital skills.

Promoting “smart agriculture” – the use of digital systems to monitor weather conditions and soil moisture and automated pumping devices for data-driven planting, irrigation, and spraying – is another project focus. Such practices will help Taraklı’s farmers improve product quality and reduce costs while conserving natural resources. 

For more information:

Deniz Şilliler Tapan, UNDP Türkiye Communications Specialist, deniz.tapan@undp.org