THE KONYA PLAIN PROJECT/KPP AND ADMINISTRATION: HISTORICAL PROCESS
The KOP Region has been an important center in social and economic fields from prehistoric times to the present day and it has hosted many civilizations. For this reason, the region hosts a wide historical heritage. The region has many historical, natural and cultural potential valleys such as the Roman Bath, Çatalhüyük, Kale Mound, Ceritkale Rock Tombs, Savatra Ancient City, Ivriz Rock Reliefs, Sidemera Sarcophagus, Ikiz İn Hittite Relief, Göreme Open Air Museum, and Cappadocia and Fairy Chimneys Geography, Ihlara Valley, Derinkuyu, Paşabağları (Monastery Valley), Gomeda, Üzengi, Kızılçukur, Museums, Castles and Caravanserais, Underground Cities, Cacabey Madrasa, as well as hundreds of historical artifacts from the Hittite, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman times, as well as natural beauties.
During the Anatolian Seljuk period, the region experienced its golden age in culture and art; It brought together the famous scholars, philosophers, poets, mystics, musicians, and other Master of Fine Arts of the period. Along with scholars such as Ibn-i Sina and Ibn-i Rushd, it also educated dozens of names that still preserve the universal qualities of Hz. Mevlana, Sadreddin-i Konevi, Muhyiddin-i Arabi, Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli, and Ahi Evran.
The KOP Region, which has these important cultural and social accumulations formed throughout history, has entered an integrated development process again with the KOP Presidency of Regional Development Administration (KPP), which was established as a central organization affiliated to the Ministry of Development.
The KOP/KPP became an affiliated organization of the Ministry of Industry and Technology with the Statutory Decree No. 703 dated 2/7/2018.
Water Supply Works to Konya Plain and KOP
The most comprehensive work on water supply to the Konya Plain was carried out during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II during the Ottoman period. The first official irrigation project of Türkiye, Konya Çumra Irrigation, was carried out between 1907-1914, and with the project, the water from Beyşehir Lake was transferred to Konya Plain via a transmission channel, and 57,000 hectares of agricultural land were opened to irrigation. This large project was among the leading projects in the world at that time. The main water source in the project was Beyşehir Lake. The water taken from here was transported to Konya Plain via a transmission line, irrigation channels and taksim centers. Within the scope of Konya Çumra Project, which is the biggest irrigation investment after GAP, the projects implemented by DSI to realize Konya's water dream were called "Konya Plain Projects", or "KOP" for short.
Due to the inadequacy of water and agricultural infrastructure in the Konya Closed Basin, a series of studies were carried out first by the DPT and then by the Ministry of Development for the purpose of economical water use and measures were taken to ensure that this region has more competitive production in agriculture. A meeting with broad participation was held in the KPP Region and the opinions of local stakeholders were received and a draft KPP Agricultural Plan was presented in 2010.
The KPP Action Plan, prepared by the Konya Plain Project Regional Development Administration as a result of field research, sector analyses and stakeholder meetings at different levels in the provinces of Aksaray, Karaman, Konya and Niğde, which are its areas of responsibility, since 2012, includes measures that will increase the welfare level of the people in the region and the development potential of the region and make the regional production more sustainable and balanced.