IWM in the Center of Natural Resource Management

According to FRWO’s website, the 39th session of coordination committee for IWM implementation chaired by Khosrow Shahbazi, Acting Head of FRWO was held at FRWO Headquarters on Saturday with the agenda of review of technical reports on the progress made in IWM implementation.

In this meeting, Dr. Shahbazi emphasized the continuation of joint meetings with the Ministry of Energy on IWM and said: “These meetings can contribute to synergy and participation in decision-making in the implementation of natural resources and watershed management plans."

He stressed: “IWM is the center of natural resource management and all activities such as forestry, rangeland management, conservation and desertification control are carried out in the context of IWM”.

Referring to the outbreak of forest pests and diseases, Acting Head of FRWO called for the combination of indigenous knowledge with modern science and technology for pest management.

He added that indigenous knowledge is an integral part of our tradition in natural resources management that should be used alongside modern science and technology. In this connection he referred to the rich indigenous knowledge in the field of medicinal herbs and urged that development of medicinal herbs and wood farming can both contribute to the economy of local communities and conservation and protection of natural resources.

Dr. Shahbazi referred to the high potential of local communities in taking part in development of natural resources and called for enhanced role of local women in natural resources management through providing free seed and seedlings for the development of natural resources and the use of capacities of NGOs and nature advocates in current programmes.