The government plans to implement the “Farming Beyond Borders Project” for cultivating water-intensive crops, according to vice president for executive affairs, Mohammad Shariatmadari.
“As part of the project, the government will buy or lease uncultivated land in developing countries for growing water-intensive crops,” Mehr News Agency quoted the official as saying.
He made the remarks during the inauguration of Aligudarz Dam in Lorestan Province last week.
Referring to water resource management as a key aspect of the government’s agenda, the vice president mentioned a number of measures adopted by the government to control water consumption.
“The agricultural sector accounts for more than 90% of Iran’s total water consumption against the average global consumption of 75% in the sector,” he said.
“To address this problem, the government plans to improve the cropping patterns and adopt modern irrigation techniques.”
Water Impact Index is another tool the government plans to use for water trade management, according to the official.
WII can help municipalities and industrialists plan long-term projects and better understand sustainable approaches to ensure lasting water supplies and healthy water ecosystems.
Shariatmadari further mentioned limiting the intrusion of saline water into freshwater aquifers as another policy pursued by the government.
He said the western Lorestan Province enjoys a favorable supply of water, observing that more than six million cubic meters of water have been stored in Aligudarz Dam since late March.
