Research of implementation results of credits given by ORKÖY in Maçka district, Trabzon

Forest villagers, constituting approximately 29 percent of Turkey's rural population, are comprised the most backward section of the national population in terms of socio-economics. Due to the social, cultural and economic difficulties faced by forest villagers, their pressures on forest resources near the their neighborhood are also increasing. Therefore, various institutions make efforts in order to solve the problems of forest villagers, reduce their pressures on forests and develop the forest villages. At the first of these organizations is the Head of Department of Forestry and Village Relations (ORKÖY) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. ORKOY makes applicable the social and economic quality projects in order to reduce the forest villagers' dependence on forest resources and eliminate their pressure on the forest.This study aims to investigate the application results of the social and economic credits given by ORKÖY between 2008 and 2018 in the Maçka District of Trabzon Province and provide essential solution suggestions. Within the scope of the study, data was gathered by means of questionnaires with forest villagers in 9 forest villages of Maçka District. As a result of the research, it was determined that although the ORKOY credits provided improved the living conditions in the forest villages, the credits were insufficient economically. In this context, it is suggested to encourage the organizations with the aim of developing projects suitable for the physical characteristics of the research area and the demands of the forest villagers and evaluating the products obtained from the projects.