Akkaya: Cooperative History and Cultural Heritage

Akkaya combines the history of local food production with Ottoman cultural heritage and an agricultural setting. The development of the women’s cooperative is particularly illustrative: it began with a group of producers in Akkaya and progressed from processing tomatoes to organic farming and its first exports. The Osman Dede Zaviye and religious traditions also tell of the destination’s different historical layers.

Women’s Cooperative and Local Food Culture

The Ayaş Akkaya Köyü Kadın Kooperatifi was founded in 2007, when 15 producers from Akkaya joined together. That same year, the Ayaş-Akkaya women’s cooperative began a project to build a tomato paste production facility. In 2019, the cooperative produced 60 tonnes of tomato paste. In 2020, it switched to organic farming and exported to Germany and the Netherlands for the first time.

Its products include village tarhana, tomato paste, and breakfast spreads. They are sold through an online shop and at the factory outlet. For travellers interested in local food culture, the cooperative’s history offers a tangible connection: from collective organisation and food processing to different sales channels.

Osman Dede and Historical Memory

The Osman Dede Zaviye in Akkaya is classified as a 19th-century mosque and zaviye from the Ottoman period. In the immediate area, Osman Dede is regarded as the founder of the zaviye; an endowment deed from 1888 is associated with it. The classification of the building and the historical deed offer different clues to the history of this religious site.

A later turning point was the relocation of the village: in 1970, it was moved to its present location, five kilometres away; the site was also abandoned at that time. The Osman Dede tomb continues to be visited from the village. Visitors generally go there to pray for their wishes to be fulfilled. Thus, the architectural history of the zaviye and the religious significance of the tomb stand alongside one another as distinct aspects.

Agriculture in the Wider Area

The agricultural landscape can also be viewed on a larger scale. In the wider region, an irrigation area of about 4,645 hectares lies between Akkaya, İlhanköy, and Uğurçayırı. The İlhan and Uğur streams irrigate this area. Unlike the cooperative’s history, which is rooted in Akkaya, this agricultural landscape spans several settlements.

This offers different perspectives to consider when planning your trip: local food production, religious history in the immediate area, and agriculture across the wider region. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Akkaya, consider which of these themes best suits your trip. With children, you can explore the topics through questions: How is food produced? What story does a religious building tell? And what role does water play in agriculture? These different scales help you see Akkaya and its surroundings as more than a single attraction.

Discover more destinations: Yukarıbağdere, Dikmen, Karahisar, Güzelöz Köyü, Çayırhan, Elmadağ, Şereflikoçhisar, Haymana

For the broader travel overview: Ankara.