Turkey’s Konya province, often regarded as the country’s agricultural heartland, is grappling with an alarming rise in sinkholes as prolonged drought and excessive groundwater extraction threaten both farming and food security. Once known for its fertile plains that supply wheat, corn, sugar beet and other crops, the region is now witnessing the rapid formation of massive craters that are swallowing productive farmland.
Farmer Mehmet Akıf Işıklı, who has cultivated crops in Karapınar since 1995, recalls watching the ground collapse nearly two decades ago when a sinkhole suddenly emerged in the middle of his field. More recently, another large sinkhole opened on a neighbouring farm, highlighting the worsening crisis. According to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), at least 684 sinkholes have been recorded across the Konya Basin, with some stretching over 220 metres in diameter and plunging more than 170 metres deep.
Experts attribute the growing number of sinkholes to a combination of natural geological conditions, climate-induced drought and years of unsustainable farming practices. Konya lies within a closed basin where underground water does not flow into the sea but instead sustains lakes, wetlands and fragile underground rock formations. As groundwater reserves shrink, the limestone structures beneath the surface lose stability, increasing the risk of collapse.
Environmentalists warn that years of over-extraction have accelerated the crisis. Faced with declining rainfall, many farmers have increasingly relied on groundwater for irrigation, often through illegally dug wells. A study conducted by WWF Türkiye in 2014 estimated that nearly 66,000 of the region’s 100,000 wells were operating illegally, resulting in groundwater consumption far exceeding sustainable levels.
Scientists say the sinkholes are merely the most visible consequence of a much deeper environmental problem. While natural sinkholes have existed in the region for centuries, their frequency has increased sharply over the past two decades. Besides damaging agricultural land, the expanding craters also pose risks to nearby villages, roads and infrastructure. Experts caution against attempts to fill sinkholes without proper geological assessment, as underground cavities can trigger further collapses.
Researchers and environmental groups argue that outdated agricultural policies have failed to address changing climate conditions and growing water scarcity. They stress that Turkey urgently needs a comprehensive water management strategy, stricter regulation of groundwater extraction and a shift towards more sustainable farming practices. Without immediate reforms, they warn, the continued depletion of groundwater could further endanger Konya’s agricultural productivity and undermine the country’s long-term food security.
