In Konya, the amount of arable and agricultural land has remained relatively constant in percentage terms over the past decades, fluctuating between roughly 47% and 54% of the total area. However, there have been significant shifts in land use and management practices, rather than a large overall increase in total arable area.
Key trends over the past decades include:
Stable Percentage: The proportion of total land dedicated to agriculture in Konya Province has stayed around 50% for several decades.
Decrease in National Agricultural Land: Across Turkey as a whole, the total amount of agricultural land decreased by about 12% between 2000 and 2017 due to urbanization and non-agricultural construction, though Konya maintained its share.
Conversion of Land Types: Within the Konya Closed Basin, there has been a notable increase in croplands and a decrease in grasslands between 2001 and 2018. Much of this change involved transforming pasture and fallow land into permanent or temporary crop cultivation areas.
Crop-Specific Area Increases: The area dedicated to high-value, water-intensive crops has expanded dramatically. The cultivated area for corn saw a staggering 1226% increase over 20 years, and sugar beet area increased by 81.4%, driven by higher economic returns.
Intensification: The expansion of agriculture into water-intensive crops has led to increased irrigation, which has contributed to environmental challenges such as the depletion of groundwater and an increase in sinkholes. While the total area has not substantially increased, the intensity and specific types of cultivation have changed dramatically.