Drafting action plan begins for 6 national strategies to curb agricultural water crisis

TEHRAN- The Deputy for Planning and Economics of the Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (TAT) announced the beginning of developing operational action plans for the 6 strategies communicated by the Ministry of Agriculture to manage water imbalance, and said: The first draft of these plans, with the participation of specialized deputies, researchers, and relevant experts, will be ready for presentation within the next month.

According to a Sunday report by IRNA from the Ministry of Agriculture, Seyyed Baqer Mahmoudi, referring to TAT Organization's national mission in the field of water imbalance management, stated: "The issue of water imbalance and crisis has been placed on the President's agenda as one of the country's most important challenges since last year, and after holding specialized meetings with ministries and experts, the scientific study of this matter was assigned to the University of Tehran."

The Deputy of the Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization added: "Following this process, the Government and University Council, headed by the President of the University of Tehran, conducted comprehensive studies in the water sector, the results of which were presented to the President in the form of two specialized reports, covering the agricultural sector and the drinking water and industry sector."

Stating that based on these studies, the President communicated 20 strategies for water consumption management in the agricultural sector, he said: "Among these strategies, 6 strategies related to the Ministry of Agriculture were communicated to this ministry for the development of operational action plans, and the Minister of Agriculture entrusted the responsibility of preparing these plans to the Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization."

Mahmoudi noted: "TAT Organization, utilizing the capacity of specialized deputies, researchers, and experts from relevant bodies, has formed specialized working groups for developing the action plans, and so far four specialized meetings have been held in this regard."

The Deputy for Planning and Economics of TAT Organization continued: "The proposed plans from various deputies, focusing on improving water productivity, reducing consumption, and improving the management of agricultural water resources, have been received and are now in the stage of expert review, consolidation, and finalization."

He expressed hope that with the continuation of the review process, the initial version of the operational action plan for the 6 national strategies to reduce water consumption in the agricultural sector will be ready within the next month and presented for the subsequent stages.

EF/MA