Suggestions for determining the production and marketing opportunities of the geographically (origin) indicated İspir dry bean and increasing its contribution to the country's economy

Despite the fact that a significant portion of the population (93%) resides in urban centers poses a significant challenge. The low rural population adversely affects the socio-economic development level between rural and urban areas. The district of İspir in Erzurum province owns a product with high economic value and a geographical indication, but is one of the least populated districts. This feature of district has been a significant factor for being a subject of research. This study aims to identify the problems in İspir Dry Bean production, develop solutions, revitalize the district's economy, and make reverse migration appealing once again. During the study, three main concepts are focused upon due to their importance and interconnectedness: rural development, local products, and geographical indications. Considering the crucial role of rural development in increasing the country's economic prosperity, local products gain more prominence, and obtaining geographical indication registration serves as an enhancing factor for quality, added value, and brand value of these products. To achieve the purpose and objectives, this thesis collected data through face-to-face interviews with 83 individuals selected through sampling from 568 farmers registered in the Farmer Registration System in the district. Evaluation of the gathered data revealed that the average age of producers is relatively high, technological opportunities are underutilized, and the average yield is lower. An approximate production value of 26 million TL of the product has the potential to reach 400 million TL. Struggles faced by growers in the production, marketing, and sales processes, their technology usage, inclusion to organizational structures, participation in and making use of training activities were identified. Obtained results and comprehensive recommendations are presented in the conclusion section.