The residents of the hazelnut villages
The Happy House is in the small, idyllic village of Paşalar, not far from the Black Sea. The Mediterranean mountain village is surrounded by hazelnut gardens and counts around 250 inhabitants. The local government and the village elders have been heavily involved in the development of Happy Hazelnut from the beginning, providing active support to the initiative. For example, they have made available the land for the construction of the Happy House and are helping to implement the Happy Hazelnut activities in the village.
The hazelnut farmers
Currently, 94 producers are part of Happy Hazelnut. Most of them live in and around Paşalar. They grow organic, Bio Suisse, conventional, Happy Hazelnut and UTZ hazelnuts. The farmers usually have several small fields they cultivate. The average size of a plantation is two hectares.
Not all farmers live entirely off the revenue they get from hazelnut cultivation. Many farmers have other sources of income. For example, one hazelnut farmer in our project is a shopkeeper, another is a ski instructor, and a third one is an engineer in Istanbul. The success of Happy Hazelnut is closely related to the high level of commitment of the hazelnut growers.
Not all farmers live entirely off the revenue they get from hazelnut cultivation. Many farmers have other sources of income. For example, one hazelnut farmer in our project is a shopkeeper, another is a ski instructor, and a third one is an engineer in Istanbul. The success of Happy Hazelnut is closely related to the high level of commitment of the hazelnut growers.
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“I've been part of Happy Hazelnut for over 5 years. I always look forward to receiving the harvest helpers in summer”.
Mehmet Dobra, Hazelnut Producer |
The local Happy Hazelnut team
The Happy Hazelnut project is implemented by Işik Tarim. Reşat Çakmak, the project manager in Turkey, and his team of four agronomists are responsible for supporting and training the farmers. They ensure that the producers comply with standards and organize the annual audits. Together with Céline Arnold, project manager of Happy Hazelnut, they are ensuring the impact of the initiative on the ground and are constantly developing Happy Hazelnut further.
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“The Happy Hazelnut approach was developed by us and has now become part of our philosophy. It offers real solutions, which is something unique”.
Reşat çakmak, Project Manager Turkey |
