An Example of Using Swot Analysis in the Process of Planning Optimal Agricultural Areas: Erzincan Plain

Increasing population in the world has led to the expansion of residential areas. The areas that were used as meadows, forests, pastures and agricultural areas in the past in the past have turned into residential areas nowadays. This situation affects the agriculture negatively the agriculture, which is the most vital activity of man on the earth. While agricultural areas tend to shrink, the need for agricultural products is constantly increasing. Therefore, the planning of the agricultural areas has become a necessity. One of the processes used in spatial planning studies is SWOT analysis. Through SWOT analysis, agricultural areas can be approached from different perspectives, and appropriate utilization styles can be determined. In this study, the use of agricultural areas on the Erzincan Plain, which has an important potential in terms of agricultural activities, was analyzed with the help of SWOT analysis, and strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats have been examined. The Erzincan Plain is located in the Upper Euphrates Basin in the North West Section of the Eastern Anatolia Region. In the Erzincan Plain, agricultural land has an important to a proportion of land use. Agricultural production is at the forefront of the economic activities of the Erzincan Plain. For this reason, it will be possible to determine the characteristics of agricultural areas and whether these features overlap with the existing agricultural structure and to ensure optimum utilization of agricultural areas through planning. The acreage of the Erzincan Plain, which is our research area, is approximately 570 km². This area consists of agricultural land, meadow-pasture, forest-heath, and other areas. Approximately 18% of the share in the acreage of the plain is field area. 36% of it is covered by meadow-pasture area. 22% of it is forest and heathland. The other areas are cover 16%. As a result, non-agricultural areas cover an area of 8%.