This project is developed as per the TUR-03-01PL. It aims to conserve an alleged ancestor of common garlic, Allium tuncelianum, which is endemic to Tunceli. This particular bulbous plant is threatened due to over-collection and exploitation, although it is only consumed locally. The project aims to find out whether this wild plant, growing in the stony fields spontaneously, can be cultivated or not. The first phase of the project will investigate cultivation possibilities, hoping this will help conserving the wild plants and will try to generate an extra, if not alternative income opportunity to farmers that normally do the uprooting. The project includes both in situ and in vitro research for cultivation conditions of the plant, and research on market availability, market size and feasibility of the project.

The Grantee had initially submitted a project proposal to NSC, whom decided that the proposal needed clarification. The project is now considered in two separate phases in which the total allocation shall not exceed 50,000 USD, as per the decision of the NSC.