Iran is a Leading Country in Desertification Control

Head of FRWO said: "Iran is one of the progressive countries in the field of desertification control, and has been working in this field for about six decades now; the result of it is the creation of 2 million hectares of planted forests in desert areas."

According to FRWO's website quoted from Iranian Agriculture News Agency (IANA), Masoud Mansour, Deputy Minister and Head of the Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization (FRWO) said at the World Day Combat Desertification (WDCD) 2020 ceremony, attended by Minister of Agriculture Jahad, representatives of international organizations, civil society groups, science and technology institutes and media that "Last year, FRWO has implemented some 448 desertification control projects in 22 desert provinces in 127,000 hectares, including planting, mulching, living and non-living windbreaks, and wastewater management in 2020. "

Mansour noted that the allocated budget for these projects in 2020 was over 7,500 billion RLs, which unfortunately have reduced to 2400 billion RLs this year. However, he expressed hope that with certain measures that FRWO would take, an estimated121, 000 hectares of desertification control operations would be carried out in 2021.

Mansour also referred to the establishment of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) three decades ago aftermath of the Earth conference by the UN as an alarm to the international community about excessive pressure on terrestrial ecosystems.

Head of FRWO denounced the unsustainable consumption and mass production of wastes that has dangerous consequences for natural resources."

Mansour highlighted the rapid growth of the world population and the need for more water and food and said" About three million people are being affected by desertification in the world, and 12 million hectares of land are at risk of destruction and degradation. "

Mansour said: "By 2050, the need for water and food resources in the world will grow by 55% and 50%, respectively."

At the end of the ceremony, desertification control veterans and experts were awarded by the Minister of Agriculture Jahad.

Based on the report, at the end of the WDCD 2020 ceremony, Head of FRWO planted a sapling at FRWO's campus and expressed hope that FRWO's efforts would prevent the expansion of deserts and lead to the revival of deserts into better place to live.