Iran using modern irrigation systems to counter droughts

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency ) Tehran, Iran, August 3

By A. Shirazi- Trend:

Around 2 million hectares of farmland across Iran have been so far equipped with modern irrigation systems, an official with Iran's Ministry of Agriculture said.

'Nearly 2 million hectares of lands (out of 8.5 million hectares) have been equipped with modern irrigation systems in the past ten years,' Reza Sarafrazi said, IRNA news agency reported on August 3.

He added that the government has no restrictions in equipping all farmland with modern irrigation systems as this move could help save water, increase yield, and decrease seed, fertilizer and pesticide use.

'Use of modern irrigation systems is top of the agenda,' the official said.

The Sixth Five-Year Development Plan (March 2017-22) stipulates that such systems have to be installed across 600,000 hectares per year.

Statistics indicate that Iran ranks 13th among the most water-stressed countries in 2040. Due to unconditional agricultural activities and extraction of too much of its aquifers, today Iran has lost much of its underground water resources causing large holes in almost 50 percent of its plains.

Unlike some who blame low precipitation for all the problems of water shortage, there are others who think mismanagement of water resources is the main cause.

Efficient water usage is a must for Iranians either in industry, agriculture or home usage. Many say unstudied dam construction is one of the main reasons for water shortage because it impounds huge reserves of water which then is evaporated into sky under the heat of sun; however, we should not forget the benefits that dams offer including curbing floods, supplying drinking water and generation of electricity.

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