What happened
PepsiCo Türkiye has expanded its Bir Damla Bir Dünya project in Tekirdağ by introducing conservation farming practices. The company is working with the Önder Çiftçi Production and Marketing Cooperative on the 2026 phase, which is intended to protect both groundwater and surface water in the Meriç-Ergene Basin.
The project had already used drip irrigation on roughly 3,000 decares of land. The new approach will ask participating farmers to disturb soil as little as possible and to plant directly into remaining crop stubble. The stated aim is to preserve soil structure and raise its capacity to retain water.
Direct seeding will be used in the programme. Under this method, fields are not cultivated between harvest and the following planting, while specialist seed drills place seed in land covered by residue from the previous crop.
Why it matters
For agricultural producers in Trakya, the initiative links water management to soil practices. Better soil health is expected to reduce the volume of water needed for irrigated farming, while lower tillage may also cut fuel and labour use. The cooperative supports producers in the Önder Çiftçi Project with inputs and with bringing their output into the economy, including through contract farming and alternative crops.
The material does not set out regulatory requirements for companies or farmers. It presents the work as part of PepsiCo’s water strategy and as a collaboration with local producer organisations.
Background
Bir Damla Bir Dünya began in the Tarsus Berdan Basin in 2023 through a partnership between PepsiCo Türkiye and Doğa Koruma Merkezi. It continued in Manisa and İzmir in 2024 and in Adana in 2025. PepsiCo said it returned around 1.14 million m³ of water to nature in 2025 across the basins where it operates in Tarsus, Manisa, İzmir and Adana.
What's next
During 2026, the Tekirdağ programme will combine the existing drip-irrigation work with reduced-tillage and direct-seeding practices through its partnership with the Önder Çiftçi Production and Marketing Cooperative.
