THE JOURNEY OF WHEAT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN -IV

The Journey of Wheat in the Mediterranean-IV “Ecology of Wheat: Local Seeds, Sourdough Bread Loaves” organized by the Izmir Mediterranean Academy was held at the Izmir Sanat-Kültürpark on 14 October 2017. The conference was moderated by Professor Alp Yücel Kaya with presentations by Professor Tayfun Özkaya, Ersin Aylin Bostan (Can Yücel Seed Center) and Mesut Yüce Yıldız.

Professor Özkaya’s presentation was entitled “The Future of Local Wheat and Sourdough Bread” by which he emphasized the need to encourage more research on local wheat and sourdough bread and their effect on health. Özkaya said that the government and municipalities should promote the ventures to this end.

Ersin Aylin Bostan spoke on two topics: the presentation of the Can Yücel Seed Center and its aims, and the production of Karakılçık wheat. Bostan pointed out that the experience of rearing Karakılçık wheat from a handful of seeds contributed to the economic independence of women.

In his presentation entitled “Return to Ancestral Wheats” Mesut Yüce Yıldız said that communities and associations have emerged to enable the production and consumption of healthy wheat, which focus on the rehabilitation of ancestral wheats.