Nilufer Municipality

Nilufer Belediyesi

Nilufer Municipality is one of the seven central district municipalities of Bursa metropolitan which is the 4th biggest city in Turkey and which takes place in the southeast of Marmara Sea and northwest of Uludağ (Olympos Mountain). Nilufer is named after the Nilufer River which is through the middle of the city. Nilufer was founded in 1987, as one of the three district municipalities with the establishment of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality. In that year, the district had a population of 32.483 (56.131 with villages), areas of 7.700 hectares and 13 neighborhoods. Nilufer has improved its services continuously to meet the changing needs of the rapidly developing region and created a city with modern standards in all aspects and today became a center ocensus attraction.

As per 2020 census, 484.832 people are living in Nilufer. The age distribution of the population is 28% aged 0-19; 62% aged 20-59; 10% aged 60 and over. The change during the years and the low average age in the population structure, demonstrates that the district is the most rapidly urbanizing region of Bursa. As of today, within the 50.756-hectare land of Nilufer, there are 64 neighbourhoods. Nilufer district is hosting the first settlement in Bursa Region as per some researchers bears the traces of both Byzantine and Ottoman and the older periods in history. As it is a new developed district, you cannot find historical buildings in the city center of Nilufer. But there are lots of ruins and historical structures within the villages and neighbourhoods bounded to Nilufer.

Role in the project

Nilufer is implementing a living lab within FUSILLI project to empower the city as agent of food system transformation under the H2020 programme. Associated with project, Nilufer City will generate a united food system strategy. The different needs and assets of different localities need a flexible food system strategy that encompasses the embedded information of all participants and groups such as civil society, producers, market actors, academicians and local authorities in collaboration with urban planners between 2021-2024 years. In terms of problem solving and innovation, each community develops their own creative solutions within the food production system. In this context, consumer cooperatives and re-invention of indigenous production techniques and wise peasant agriculture methods gain significance in the region. The Food System Planning Strategy that will be developed and implemented within the boundaries of local government takes citizens and food related organizations to its centre. Technical, social and policy innovations will be carried out to build a holistic food plan in long term. Access to healthy and nutritious food for all as a food security strategy will be carried out especially in the disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Innovative business models of the food planning strategy aim to build shorter food supply chains and strengthen small scale agricultural enterprises and farmers.

Contact

Gülşah AYZİT

gulsahayzit@nilufer.bel.tr
+90 224 444 16 03

Links

www.nilufer.bel.tr