Modern Sharecropping and Regenerative Agriculture Model for Social Innovation in Rural Areas: The Pilot Case of Kemaliye Village, Giresun

ანოტაცია

This article presents a pilot implementation of the “Modern Sharecropping and Regenerative Agriculture Model” developed under the coordination of the Giresun Governorship in Kemaliye Village, Türkiye. The project addresses the critical decline in hazelnut productivity due to aging rural populations and labor shortages, as well as the lack of professional agricultural care and youth involvement. A comprehensive farm analysis and orchard scoring system was applied to 14 hazelnut producers' lands, totaling 300 decares. Based on over 60 indicators—ranging from topography and soil quality to pest damage and yield history—a digital scoring software generated customized agricultural calendars and harvest-sharing offers for each landowner.

In parallel, 240 young individuals were certified as hazelnut maintenance technicians through structured vocational training. A four-story abandoned village school was transformed into a multifunctional rural hub that now hosts a training center, women-led production areas, and guest accommodation. At the end of the project, the S.S.TEKFINDIK Women's Cooperative was established to maintain operational sustainability.

This model, which combines traditional sharecropping logic with digital agriculture, vocational training, and social entrepreneurship, has created an integrated framework for rural revitalization. It demonstrates that local development is achievable when digital tools, professional labor, and cooperative governance intersect with community-based action.