Jam from the villagers, training from the chamber, festival by the municipality
Bornova Municipality and Chamber of Food Engineers sign protocol for the Jam Festival
Bornova Municipality has begun preparations for the first-ever Jam Festival, to be held in Yaka Neighborhood this September. The festival will bring together jams made by local producers from rural neighborhoods in Bornova using fruits harvested from their own gardens. A cooperation protocol for the event was signed with the Izmir Branch of the Chamber of Food Engineers. The signing ceremony took place at Nevzat Kavalar Cultural Center, with Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki and Chamber President Ömer Ulaş Kırım putting pen to paper.
The protocol includes the provision of hygiene training to ensure that all products presented at the festival are produced under healthy conditions. Following the signing ceremony, hygiene kits were distributed to producers from 12 rural neighborhoods in Bornova.
Goal: Adding value to agricultural products
Bornova Municipality aims to both make economic use of fruit grown in the region that cannot be consumed fresh, and ensure that residents have access to healthy food. As part of the festival preparations, jam-making training will be provided to producers living in rural neighborhoods of Bornova.
“Jam pots will boil again”
Emphasizing the importance of access to healthy food, Mayor Ömer Eşki reminded the audience that the municipality regularly conducts early-morning surprise inspections at local bakeries.
“Many of today’s illnesses stem from unhealthy food,” he said. “We didn’t face as many health issues in the past, because we ate cleaner, more natural products. We're doing everything in our power to return to that. I also place great importance on this Jam Festival, which will be the first of its kind in Turkey. We want jam pots to boil again in our villages, for the new generation to witness this tradition, and for these products to become more accessible. I hope this festival will pave the way for others like it across the country. I believe one of our greatest losses has been becoming strangers to ourselves. Through this festival, we aim to reconnect the younger generation with the taste of homemade jams like those our mothers used to make.”
“Bakery inspections are essential”
Ömer Ulaş Kırım, President of the Izmir Branch of the Chamber of Food Engineers, emphasized the importance of Bornova Municipality’s bakery inspections and support for agriculture and food safety.
“As part of this protocol, we will support efforts related to food safety and inspections within the district. We also look forward to contributing to the Jam Festival in September,” he said.
Following the speeches, Mayor Eşki and President Kırım signed the cooperation protocol.
Hygiene Kits Distributed to Producers
After the signing ceremony, women producers who will participate in the jam-making training attended a hygiene workshop and received hygiene kits. The training was conducted by Food Engineer Dilan Avcı, who provided detailed information on maintaining hygiene in food preparation and handling. The session drew great interest, and Dilan Avcı answered participants’ questions at the end of the workshop.