Agricultural background of afghan migrants, their adaptation in Turkey, and employment possibilities in the agricultural sector

When looking at countries with the largest migrant populations in the world, it is evident that factors such as internal conflicts, wars, and weak economies lead to migration movements. Afghanistan has maintained its position as the country with the highest number of emigrants due to ongoing conflicts for years. Migrants constitute 5% of the total global population. The agriculture sector is the primary industry where migrants are employed, especially during production seasons in various countries. The aim of this study is to determine the experiences of Afghan migrants who have migrated to Turkey at different periods and are currently living in Istanbul, Konya, Usak, and Sakarya regarding agriculture, as well as to identify employment opportunities in the agricultural sector in Turkey. The data for this study were collected through face-to-face surveys with a total of 384 participants, of which 95% were male and 5% were female. The survey consisted of three sections: the first section focused on participants' socio-demographic characteristics, the second section covered their agricultural experiences in Afghanistan, and the third section comprised questions related to employment opportunities in the agricultural sector in Turkey. According to the findings of the research, a significant proportion of Afghan immigrants who came to Turkey are under 30 years old and unmarried. The majority of them have completed high school or university education. Many of the migrants have prior experience in the agricultural sector. Moreover, Afghan immigrants residing in Turkey are found to work regularly in livestock and poultry farms, and seasonally in activities such as field work, irrigation, and fruit picking. The binary logistic regression model conducted indicates that factors influencing the willingness of Afghan migrants in Turkey to return to their home country include age, having received education at a high school level or above, being employed, having had a job in Afghanistan before migration, receiving refugee benefits from the United Nations organization, experiencing fear of terrorism before migration, facing economic difficulties before migration, monthly income in Afghanistan, working in an agricultural job in Turkey, and monthly income in Turkey. Based on the recommendations derived from the research, in order to address the ongoing Afghan migration crisis, it is crucial to first establish political and economic stability in the country. Considering that the country's economy heavily relies on agriculture, it is essential to develop agricultural policies and programs and provide support to farmers.