Animal husbandry and animal production activities in village institutes, an important educational institution for social and economic development in Türkiye

After the foundation of the Republic of Türkiye, the most important problems of the country were education and economic problems. The fact that most of the uneducated population lived in villages and that agriculture and animal husbandry, the main elements of the country’s economy, were mainly conducted in rural areas created an opportunity for village institutes. The village institutes aimed to train prospective teachers as educators and well-rounded individuals who would set an example for the village community. For this reason, in addition to theoretical knowledge, students were given practical training in agriculture, animal husbandry, construction, health knowledge, carpentry, etc., based on scientific knowledge. Animal husbandry and animal food-production activities, part of this comprehensive education, were widely practiced in village institutes. In this way, both the students received a modern agricultural education, and the food resources of the institutes were provided. In this study, animal husbandry and animal food production activities in the village institutes, which were established in various regions of Türkiye and harboured an education system far beyond its period, were analysed and the aim was to provide information on this subject.