In Elazig, flock owners complain about the difficulty of finding a shepherd to hire despite offering a monthly salary of 70,000 liras and 30 GB of internet.

The decrease in qualified workforce willing to work in the livestock sector, coupled with increasing urbanization, has resulted in a decline in the traditional profession of shepherding, which is no longer preferred by the younger generations. Shepherds, who receive a monthly salary of 70,000 liras and have their needs such as food, drink, and shelter covered by the producer, are also requesting a monthly 30 GB internet package. Despite flock owners agreeing to all their demands, they are still unable to find shepherds.

Nurettin Çelenk, who used to own 500 small livestock but had to sell more than half of them due to the lack of a shepherd, now tends to the remaining animals himself.

“We Are Quite in Trouble”

Nurettin Çelenk, noting that the majority of the clan engages in animal husbandry, expressed, “We are facing quite a bit of trouble lately because of the shepherds. Our money has become worthless. We currently pay 70,000 liras monthly to a shepherd. We also provide 30 GB of internet every month. Their food, drink, shelter, and clothing are our responsibility. Despite this, we still cannot find a shepherd. As a result, we are forced to sell our animals. I used to have 500 sheep, but now I only have 150 sheep. I manage and shepherd the animals by myself.”

“No One from Our Youth Wants to Do It”

Çelenk emphasized the importance of shepherds to them and stated, “How will we feed and care for 500 sheep without a shepherd? None of our youth wants to do it. Only people of our age, like us, are doing it. We have loved it since childhood. We cannot seem to let go. Our clan is quite extensive, residing within the triangle of Elazig, Tunceli, and Erzincan. The cost of having a shepherd exceeds everything. This year, shepherds are competing with gold. We cannot afford gold. A shepherd earns more monthly than us in gold. They earn more than a civil servant. They receive a net amount of 70,000 liras. Shepherds are now as valuable as gold. You can find gold, but you cannot find a shepherd.”

“We Accept Whatever They Say”

Çelenk mentioned that shepherds used to ask for phone credit before but have now switched to requesting internet, saying, “He says I should have a 30 GB internet connection monthly. I don’t even use 30 GB internet per month. Someone comes and argues with me. And they are right. We are helpless. We accept whatever they say. It’s a tough profession. You are out in the mountains, in the fields, in the rain, in the snow. Once you turn 50, you start complaining about your knees hurting. It is the shepherd’s mattress, his goat. I have been a shepherd since the age of 5. I have dedicated 50 years of my life to this profession.”