Türkiye opens nanotech facility to cut farm water use by 50%

A new domestic production facility for a Turkish-developed nanotechnology product that significantly reduces water consumption in agriculture while increasing crop yields has been inaugurated in Istanbul, marking a major step in the transition from academic research to industrial application.

Breakthrough nanomaterial enters serial production

The nanomaterial technology, developed by ANT Systems after 15 years of scientific research at Sabancı University’s Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, has entered mass production at a facility with an annual capacity of 3,000 tons. The flagship product, NANOTERN, is a biodegradable nanomaterial designed to retain water in soil for extended periods and release it to plants in a controlled manner. The technology can hold up to 1,800 times its own weight in water, reducing irrigation water use by up to 50% and increasing agricultural productivity by as much as 25%. It also improves fertilizer efficiency and lowers production costs. The global patent portfolio is held in Türkiye, and the product is already used in the US, South America, Gulf countries, and Africa.

‘Technology is the only thing we can rely on against water stress’

At the opening ceremony, Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution President Ahmet Antalyalı said the initiative represents a concrete example of Türkiye’s high-tech agricultural goals. Sabancı University Rector Yusuf Leblebici noted that behind such ventures lies a strong vision and years of dedicated effort. ANT Systems Vice Chairman and CEO Can Yurdakul warned that land can be lost not only through war but also due to water scarcity and unsustainable production models. “The agricultural sector uses roughly 70% of the world’s freshwater resources. The issue is no longer to produce more—it is to produce more intelligently with limited resources,” he said. Güler Sabancı, chair of the founding board of trustees of Sabancı University and an investor in ANT Systems, stated: “In facing the climate crisis and the water stress we are living through, the only thing we can rely on for the future is technology and science-based research.” Türkiye continues to position itself as a global leader in agricultural nanotechnology, offering solutions to water scarcity challenges both at home and abroad.