The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock of the Republic of Turkey and the Independent Office of Evaluation of IFAD (IOE) co-organized a national round-table workshop in Ankara on 28 January 2016, to discuss the  main issues emerging from the Turkey Country Programme Evaluation as a final step in the evaluation process. Around 100 participants attended the workshop, including the Deputy Undersecretary, and the Acting General Director of Agrarian Reform of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, the Head of Department of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture, senior officials from the Ministry of Forest and Water Affairs and the Undersecretariat of Treasury, representatives from IFAD-supported projects, multilateral development organizations, NGOs, private sector, and others. The IFAD delegation included the Associate Vice-President, Corporate Services Department; the Directors of IOE and the Near East, North Africa and Europe Division, and the Country Programme Manager for Turkey.

In terms of next steps, the Government of Turkey and IFAD Management will sign an Agreement at Completion Point, which will include a summary of the main evaluation findings and recommendations. The agreement will capture the Government's and IFAD's commitment to adopt and implement the evaluation recommendations within specific timeframes. The Turkey evaluation report will be discussed in the Evaluation Committee in March 2016 and thereafter in the Executive Board in September 2016.

The workshop was covered by the Turkish media.

Press release: Independent evaluation shows IFAD-supported investment improves the quality of life of rural poor in Turkey