With the degradation of land and forest landscapes in Iran becoming increasingly a major issue due to the challenges of climate change and water scarcity, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has expressed readiness to expand its aid to Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture in addressing the issue in a sustainable manner through an integrated national program involving local communities.
During his three-day visit (16-18 May 2015) to Kerman Province to oversee a project on the ‘Rehabilitation of Forest Landscapes and Degraded Land – RFLDL’, FAO Representative to Iran Serge Nakouzi was pleased to note the significant results being achieved through the project in rehabilitating saline soils and vast areas prone to wind erosion.
RFLDL is project jointly implemented in Rigan by FAO with the Forest, Range and Watershed Management Organization (FRWO) and with funding assistance from the Global Environment Fund (GEF).
Nakouzi stated that this project exemplified how an effective partnership could yield the desired impact not only in safeguarding the invaluable natural resources of the country, but could also greatly enhance the livelihoods of local communities.
In a meeting with the Governor-General of Kerman Province Ali Reza Razm Hosseini, Nakouzi discussed the extent of the challenge faced within the Province in terms of land degradation, forestry rehabilitation, combating desertification, improving the livelihoods of rural communities and addressing water scarcity.
With regard to the latter issue, the FAO Representative informed Hosseini of the Regional Water Scarcity Initiative launched by FAO for the Near East and North Africa region and of the request that had been tabled by the government for FAO to develop a national program on water resources management, in recognition of the fact that some 92% of the water resources in the country are utilized for agriculture.
Acknowledging that FAO retained global expertise in the various disciplines and areas of the challenges facing the Province, Razm Hosseini requested FAO to lend its technical support to the province in its development of a comprehensive integrated program that also envisages greater engagement by the private sector.
FAO as the leading technical organization in the world on forestry and sustainable land management matters is prepared to be engaged in the Islamic Republic of Iran to assist with the resolution of these challenges.