Preparation and Development of a Strategic Plan for Improving Agricultural Water Productivity (WP) in Iran.

Agriculture plays an important role in the economy of Iran. It accounts for 18% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 25% of employment, supply of more than 85% of food requirements, 25% of non-oil exports, and 90% of raw materials used in the industries. The country is situated in one of the most arid regions of the world. The average annual precipitation is 250 mm (less than one-third of the world average precipitation). Moreover to aridity, distribution of rainfall in Iran is very irregular and non-equitable and the country faces with drought hazards periodically. Despite large reliance of the country on agriculture, especially irrigated agriculture, water resources required for the agricultural production is very limited. Therefore, availability of fresh water resources is the most limiting factor and vital input for agricultural production in Iran. Currently more than 93% of water consumption (84 BCM) is used for irrigation of 8.2 million hectare irrigated agriculture. As agriculture in general and irrigated agriculture in specific is the greatest consumer of water in the country's economical sectors, obviously the major losses of water occur in this sector. Yet we know that, with the growing demand for water for industry and municipalities, combined with environmental concerns, there will be less water for agriculture in the country in future, therefore agricultural water productivity (WP) has to be increased. Currently the country's average WP is almost 1.0 kg/m3 which seem quite low in comparison to the world's value. Based on evaluations, and in order to fulfill the food demand of the growing population of the country with limited available water resources, till year 2025 the value of WP should almost doubled or at least should located in the range of 1.6-2.0 kg/m3. Therefore, an strategic planning is required to reach this important and challenging target. The Strategic Plan for Improving Agricultural Water Productivity (WP) in Iran was prepared as an initial and important step toward this goal. For this purpose representatives of different stakeholders in the water and agriculture sector of the country were gathered and participated in the four working groups of the program namely, Plant, Field, Basin, and Socio-economic-policy- institution. The purpose of theses working groups was to determine the problems and sources of inefficiencies regarding low value of WP in Iran in three scales of water management starting from plant to the field and from field to the Basin including the processes and Socio-economic and Policy-institution governing these physical scales. The methodology of the program was fully participatory. Following determining of the problems, in the form of problem trees, the objectives and research or executive plans for alleviating these problems and achieving to the final goal, which is improving WP, were set in the form of objectives trees and different research and executive action plans. The plan also have linkage with the other strategic plans prepared in the country for the different aspects of agricultural production and natural resources management e.g.: Drought, Salinity, Greenhouse, Pressurized irrigation, Irrigation networks, Flood, Agricultural mechanization, and different crops strategic plans (Wheat, Maize, Sugar beet, etc.).