Ahtamarakoop is a development cooperative established by women producers living in the rural areas of Van. It integrates agriculture, livestock, beekeeping, and tourism. The cooperative aims to enhance the quality of production while preserving the environment and cultural heritage to ensure a sustainable rural life.
Its mission is to make women's labor visible, support healthy and environmentally friendly production through good agricultural practices, and contribute to the economic, social, and environmental empowerment of the local community.
The cooperative strives to become a model for Turkey by promoting a fair, sustainable rural life driven by women and in harmony with nature.
Ahtamarakoop adopts a zero-waste approach, utilizing the by-products of all items it produces. For example, while drying raw materials such as beans, tomatoes, and apples, the remaining pulp is returned to the soil to enhance its nutrients, and leftover peels are used as animal feed. A portion of the apple peels is used in vinegar production, and walnut shells are repurposed as fuel during the preparation of traditional foods such as kavut.
Beekeeping activities contribute to the region’s biodiversity, and glass jars are reused to support the circular economy.
The cooperative’s work in climate action, climate finance, and environmental sustainability focuses on nature-friendly production, waste management, biodiversity conservation, and circular economy principles.
