**Mersin-Erdemli District Kösbucag village agricultural tourism development project**

The project location, Kösbucağ village, is in 12 km distance from Erdemli and it has some Roman and Byzantine ruins. The main source of income of the village is agriculture and animal husbandry. The project aimed at contributing to the development and extension of agricultural tourism, providing employment opportunities other than agriculture, increasing household income by direct acquisition of local products to the consumers, developing collaboration in the locality, and preserving and utilizing the agricultural product diversity, natural resources and cultural assets. The target group of the project is principally women since women have the potential to fulfill the essentials of agro-tourism. It endeavored to make women obtain income by using the education provided. Social status of the women with income tends to increase and consequently contributes to the domestic decision making mechanism. With a thorough marketing, this project is expected to cause major social, cultural and economic changes (Anonymous, 2009a).
