Natural Resources; a prerequisite for the Country's Development

Khalil Aghaee, Deputy Minister and Head of Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization (FRWO) attending the Agriculture and Food Industry Commission of Iran Chamber of Cooperative said that Natural Resources is the prerequisite for the country's development.

According to FRWO’s website, Khalil Aghaee referring to fact that natural resources cover 83 percent of the country's territory in a joint meeting with members of the Agriculture and Food Industry Commission of Iran Chamber of Cooperative said that based on law, natural resources is considered as public asset and FRWO is responsible for their conservation, restoration, development and exploitation.

Deputy Minister, referring to the fact that FRWO is by no means responsible for land allocation, said any land transfer to individuals for urban development and agricultural purposes, is solely carried out through Ministry of Roads & Urban Development and Land Affairs Organization of Iran respectively.

He reiterated that the ownership of lands allocated for agricultural and industrial development is in no way transferred to individuals, but the exploitation right. If the property is not exploited it should return to the government.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jahad emphasized that in the sixth development plan, natural resources lands belong to future generations as a public asset and cannot be traded by individuals. 

Head of FRWO, commenting on the sustainable use of rangelands, added that we have to change the attitudes of people that rangelands can only meet the needs of ranchers if they conserve the rangelands. Therefore, we need the assistance of all line agencies in protecting this public asset if we are to exploit them commercially.