The production of local cotton and local sheep breeds were the main income source of Sar?beyler in the past. The utilization of the local cotton and sheep wool, which were used in numerous fields of daily life, also created the chance of economical income in the region. The local cotton and sheep wool leaded the development of traditional handicrafts (weaving and felt) in the region. So, the interest for cotton plantation and sheep breeding increased as well. But the local cotton production finished and sheep breeding is on the wane because of many reasons in our day. In addition to this, the traditional knowledge about these species is about to get lost. The locals in the village has started to work in the coal mines around the region instead of producing, farming localy and become a society without local species and social culture.
Our project is going to provide the protection and improvement of local cotton species and local sheep breed and recording of traditioanl kwowledge belong to these species by revitalizing the traditional handicrafts (weaving, carpet weaving and felt) in the region. For this, we are going to meet with locals and record the traditional production kwowledge, give weaving and carpet weaving and felt courses by setting up workshops. The products of handviewing with shuttle, felt and handmade carpet will be made in the workshops by using the wool belong to the region. By planting local cotton in a small scale, the tradition of using cotton in weaving will be revitalized.
Apart from this, by doing a production plan and designing new products a marketing and brand strategy will be occured. All of these activities match up with the priorities(Agricultural biodiversity and the protection and improvement of local species by recording the traditional kwowlewdge belong to them, Working on the local species with traditional methods and marketing them, The access of producers to old seeds and local/traditional agriculture basis) of GEF SGP and call proposal focus area.
Briefly, the local cotton species and sheep breed is going to be protected, improved and the traditional knowledge will be recorded by doing these activities. By this way, it is going to be contributed to the protection and improvement of agricultural biodiversity and local species is in Ida Mountain and Edremit Bay and in its enviroment.