Farmers fight to adapt as droughts loom in COP31 host Turkey

AI Summary

Farmers in drought-prone western Turkey are changing crops to cope with worsening water constraints; one cotton grower is switching to wheat and sunflower. The adaptation is taking place as governments continue to debate climate finance ahead of COP31, which Turkey is set to host.

By Ezgi Erkoyun, Helen Reid and Simon Jessop SOKE, Turkey, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Farmer Mehmet Kabak has grown cotton on the same land in drought-prone western Turkey for decades. This year he is planting wheat and sunflower instead, in part because they require less water, making them cheaper to grow. Kabak is one of many farmers worldwide forced to find their own way to cope with a changing climate rather than wait for countries to settle long-standing arguments at annual climate talks over who should finance adaptation.