Agricultural Economics

Hello dear students, my name is Mecit Ömer Azabağaoğlu. I am the Head of Agricultural Economics Department at Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University. Our department was established in 1983. In addition, our department launched its graduate program in 1986. Our department accepted its first students in 1993 and they graduated in 1997. Since our establishment, we have approximately over 400 graduate students. Since 1995, we launched our doctorate program. In the Department of Agricultural Economics, our students take basic engineering and agriculture courses in the first two years. In the 3rd and 4th years, they specialize in different fields with our departmental courses such as Marketing, Management, Policy, Agricultural Extension, Finance, Environmental Management. Since our department is not a technical department, we do not have a laboratory. As you will understand when you come to the department, our laboratory is the field environment. In other words, producers, food companies and consumers that process agricultural products form our laboratory. We continue our work by analyzing the data we obtain from them. After the 6th semester, our students do their compulsory 30-day summer internship. The main benefit here for you is to experience how the lessons you take in these 6 semesters about basic agricultural engineering are applied in the sector. This then guides you on which profession you want to choose and which field you want to work in your business life. Apart from that, in the 8th semester, you prepare a graduation thesis on the subject you want and present it to your advisor. Then you complete your graduation project by presenting it again in the classroom in front of all the students and your professor. We offer Erasmus Program opportunities in our department. Our students at both undergraduate and graduate levels can go to the universities we have agreements with to pursue their studies for 1 or 2 semesters within the scope of this program. 10 students in our department have benefited from this program so far. When they returned from abroad, they said that this program really contributed to them. This program, of course, is not only to take courses in a different country. It is important to live and gain experience in a different environment. If you are planning to benefit from the Erasmus Program, it is expected that you have English language proficiency. You can continue our program in other countries within the scope of the Erasmus Program, provided that you have passed the English exam. As a department, we are a member of the Agricultural Economics Association and the Eurasian Agricultural Economists Association. The Agricultural Economics Association has been organizing agricultural economics congresses that have been held in every 2 years since 1994. We undertook this congress in 2000 in Tekirdağ. We actively participate in these congresses. Apart from that, we attend congresses organized by the Eurasian Agricultural Economists Association. Since 2016, we have been actively participating in the International Balkan Economy, Business and Management congresses that we refer to as IBANEZ, which started at our university. At the same time, I am one of the 4 partner congress presidents of these congresses, and I am also actively running these. In addition, another event was organized in our faculty in 2017. This event was also held with the participation of lecturers and students from our department. Rich studies are carried out in terms of academic activities. We now include our students in these. If you choose us, you will be involved in such activities when you arrive.
The Department of Agricultural Economics differs from other departments of the Faculty of Agriculture. We graduate our students with the knowledge from the technical departments of agriculture. In addition to this, we graduate entrepreneurial students who are well-equipped and knowledgable about how the economy, business management or marketing system of products should be. Our graduates are in the agricultural input industry and financing agriculture. In other words, they work in the relevant institutions of the state in matters such as banking and insurance. In addition, they work in a wide range of fields such as retail companies, food companies and food wholesale in the private sector. I can say that the most easily obtained profession among the faculties of agriculture is the agricultural economy. Students who will choose our department should first review all their knowledge about agriculture and analyze very well whether they want to work in agriculture. But they should not forget this; natural resources, agriculture and agricultural products are becoming increasingly important. If you want to be a part of it and have competence in this field, I think you should choose the Faculty of Agriculture. If you want to specialize in business, marketing or entrepreneurship, the Department of Agricultural Economics is the right choice for you. Tekirdağ is currently one of the most beautiful places for students to live. I am very glad to live here myself. If you ask wonder why; Tekirdağ offers you all kinds of natural possibilities both thanks the sea and the nearby Ganos Mountain. Apart from that, it is very close to Istanbul. You can benefit from cultural and social activities in Istanbul. At the same time, you are at a very close transition point to Europe. It is very easy and possible to reach Europe from here. Apart from that, when you look at the opportunities provided by the university; socially and culturally; There are also many options in terms of library facilities. Therefore, I think it is very advantageous to live in Tekirdağ as a student. Dear students; Why should you come to Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics? First of all, you have realized in recent years how important agriculture and economy are. If you are interested in both the importance of agriculture and natural resources, and how to plan and manage them economically, if you have the necessary competencies and want to work on this subject, which is open in the future; It will be a very positive choice for you. We are also honored to host you here and to provide this training. I wish you success in the exam. Hope to meet you face to face here next year. Goodbye.