In mid-March, Nilüfer Municipality (NIL) hosted a three-day study visit organized within the framework of the FUSILLI project. The delegation consisting of Fundacion Cartif (CAR), Izmir Democracy University (IDU), and Demir Energy (DEM), visited Nilüfer and examined the works being carried out on site.
FUSILLI Project Coordinator Julia Pinedo Gil and Agri-Food and Processes Executive Laura Fernandez Casal visited Nilüfer within the scope of the FUSILLI project’s Work Package 1: “Network of Food2030 Living Labs in 12 European Cities for Open Innovation”. NIL, which is among the partner cities of the project, was accompanied by a team of directorates and units related to FUSILLI actions. The local partners of FUSILLI were IDU and DEM. Assoc. Prof. Emel Karakaya Ayalp, Assoc. Prof. Sevim Pelin Öztürk and Dr. Feral Sargın represented IDU, while DEM was represented by Strategy and Policy Specialist Dr. Baha Kuban and Senior Smart and Sustainable Cities Consultant Arch. Beril Alpagut.
24 months of the 48-month FUSILLI Project have passed. A visit was made to Nilüfer to assess the WP1 KPIs on the activities to be carried out so far and those upcoming in the next two years. It was important for FUSILLI coordinator CAR, NIL, DEM and IDU to consider the performance indicators of the actions in the project, measure and evaluate their impact, and set methodologies and objectives together.
The program started with site visits, which are among the activities of the Climate Change and Zero Waste Directorate, then the KPI workshops carried out at the Nilüfer Innovation Center.
Nilüfer Agricultural Analysis Laboratory, Ürünlü City Orchards (City Gardens), Hasanağa Food Hub, İhsaniye Mini Orchard and Nilüfer Bostan salepoints (Yüzüncüyıl and İhsaniye branches) were visited. The delegation examined the work done on site and observed the work done on the Nilüfer Bostan sales points, the supply, storage and logistics opportunities, and the Hasanağa Food Hub business model. In addition, CAR, DEM and IDU teams met with Deputy Mayor Remzi Çınar on the first day and with the Mayor Turgay Erdem and his wife Zeynep Terzioğlu Erdem on the second day and shared their impressions.
Stating that the pandemic and earthquake disaster affected Turkey deeply, President Erdem said,
“ Despite the difficult days, we try not to disrupt our work. This project is a project that we got approval after we started working on agriculture, food and rural areas, and this project came up in line with our goals. These works are very important for us, I would like to thank those who contributed. ”
Thanking Nilüfer Municipality for their hospitality, FUSILLI Project Coordinator Julia Pinedo Gil and Agricultural Food and Processes Executive Laura Fernandez Casal also stated that the work they saw was impressive. The guests drew attention to the fact that it would be inspiring if Nilüfer Municipality hosted a meeting in which all partners would take part.
After the visits, the delegation continued to work on addressing performance indicators, measuring and evaluating their effects, and setting out methodologies and targets.
Stating that the pandemic and earthquake disaster affected Turkey deeply, President Erdem said, “Despite the difficult days, we try not to disrupt our work. This project is a project that we got approval after we started working on agriculture, food and rural areas, and this project came up in line with our goals. These works are very important for us, I would like to thank those who contributed.”
Thanking Nilüfer Municipality for their hospitality, FUSILLI Project Coordinator Julia Pinedo Gil and Agricultural Food and Processes Executive Laura Fernandez Casal also stated that the work they saw was impressive. The guests drew attention to the fact that it would be inspiring if Nilüfer Municipality hosted a meeting in which all partners would take part.
After the visits, the delegation continued to work on addressing performance indicators, measuring and evaluating their effects, and setting out methodologies and targets.
Author: Mehmet Can Yilmaz, Nilüfer Living Lab FUSILLI
Photos: Nilüfer Living Lab