1. Water, Soil and Drought Management
toward Maintaining Food Security in the
Islamic Republic of Iran
A. Ghaffari
Dryland Agricultural Research Institute (DARI), Iran
‫بسم‬‫بسم‬‌‌‫ا‬‫ا‬‌‌‫الرحمن‬‫الرحمن‬‌‌‫الرحي‬‫الرحي‬
‫م‬‫م‬
International Conference on Policies for Water and Food Security
in Dry Areas, 24- 26 June, Cairo, Egypt

2.  Total land area is 164.8 mil. ha.
 About 18.5 mil. ha. are used
for agriculture:
 6 mil. ha. (irrigated): 32.4%
 6 mil . ha. (rainfed) : 32.4%
 4.5 mil. ha. (fallow) : 24.4%
 2 mil. ha. (hort. crops): 10.8%
 Wheat and Barley:
the two major crops
 Average Wheat Growing areas:
 6.7 mil. ha
 Irrigated wheat: 2.7 mil. ha
 Rainfed wheat: 4.0 mil. ha
Introduction

3. • Iran is generally known of arid and
semi-arid climate (94.1% based on
UNESCO Approach) except for
Caspian Sea region.
• The average precipitation of the
country (247 mm) is about half of Asia
(480 mm) and one third of the world
(850 mm).
Climate

4. Agro-Climatic Zoning
Rainfed Land area
Mean
P/PET = 0.05 - 0.65

5. 29
2423
11
8 2
Distribution (%) of country
area by annual rainfall
rates
<150
mm
150-250
mm
250-350
mm
Ghaffari et al., 2004
Precipitation

6. 75% off Growing Season
25% in Growing Season
Seasonal Distribution of Rainfall

7. General information on water resources
Total water potential
425 Mm3
Border water
12 Mm3
Rainfall
413 Mm3
Evaporation
295 Mm3
Surface water
105 Mm3
Infiltration
25 Mm3
Total available water
130 Mm3

8. Water used in different sectors
Sectors Consumption
(×109
m3
)
Consumption
(%)
By
2020
(×109
m3
)
By
2020
(%)
Agriculture 85.2 92.1 99.7 85.3
Urban and
industry
6.2 6.7 8.7 7.4
Environment - - 6.3 5.4
Miscellaneous 1.1 1.2 2.3 1.9
Total 92.5 100 117.0 100
Overall irrigation efficiency is 38% which is lower than the world’s
average irrigation efficiency but, water productivity is roughly 1.25
kg.m3
which is good.

9. Structure of Water in Iran
 The two Ministries of Energy and Agriculture are currently waterThe two Ministries of Energy and Agriculture are currently water
administrators in Iranadministrators in Iran
 There are several water relevant research institutes (e.g. AERI ,There are several water relevant research institutes (e.g. AERI ,
SWRI in Ministry of Agriculture or TAMAB in Ministry of Energy),SWRI in Ministry of Agriculture or TAMAB in Ministry of Energy),
research centers, water departments in the Universities, andresearch centers, water departments in the Universities, and
Consultant Engineers Companies (private sector) (e.g. Mahab-eConsultant Engineers Companies (private sector) (e.g. Mahab-e
Ghods) also have an important role in this regard.Ghods) also have an important role in this regard.
 A number of duties of Ministry of Agriculture on soil and water issues are:A number of duties of Ministry of Agriculture on soil and water issues are:
 Integrated study of basins (watersheds)Integrated study of basins (watersheds)
 Land consolidation, on-farm improvements, and infrastructureLand consolidation, on-farm improvements, and infrastructure
activities in farms and orchards for efficient use of agricultural inputs,activities in farms and orchards for efficient use of agricultural inputs,
especially waterespecially water
 Management of water delivery in tertiary and lower order irrigationManagement of water delivery in tertiary and lower order irrigation
canals and their O&M activitiescanals and their O&M activities
 Study and execute small scale water supply development projectsStudy and execute small scale water supply development projects
(following permission of Ministry of Energy)(following permission of Ministry of Energy)

10. For optimum use of water allocated to the farmers,
the following policies are considered:
• Control of water resources and volumetric allocation of water to the farms.
• Based on the established law, water charge of the regulated
surface water is between 1-3% of value of the cultivated crops
• water pumping from groundwater resources must be in accordance with the
crop water requirement and proposed cropping pattern in each region.
• Subsidizing policies for water charging and supervision charging
for farmers who their yields are higher than average.
• Termination of water allocation to the farmers who in two successive years
consumed water more than permissible level.
• Encouraging policies for the farmers who use less water and
maintain their production in reasonable level using proper
management practices.

11. Attaining wheat self
sufficiency in the context
of securing food security
at national level
Case study

12. Importance of wheat
Wheat is the major crop in the country, where it is grown
on 6.7 million hectares. Irrigated wheat covers one-third of
the total wheat area but accounts for more than two-thirds
of the total wheat production.
Iran has attained self-sufficiency in wheat production for
the first time since past 40 years during the 2003-2004.
This testifies the successful adoption of effective soil and
crop management practices combined with improved
cultivars for increasing the welfare of rural communities in
dry areas of Iran through the sustainable use of land and
water resources. The participation of farmers, researchers,
and extension workers in the testing, demonstration and
dissemination of improved technologies has led to better
awareness of the technology and to its adoption by a large
number of farmers.

13. Reasons for attaining self sufficiency
Selecting right strategies by:
1- Preparing road map through contributing all involved
relevant policy makers, experts and researchers
2- Integrated agronomy, crop breeding and policies
3- Releasing of high yielding varieties
4-Considering of Water Use efficiency & Water
productivity
5- Pressured irrigation systems.
6- Drought tolerance varieties
7- Adoption of Conservation Agriculture
8- Guaranteed price for wheat market

14. Wheat cultivated areas (1980-2011(
Wheat cultivation area:
1980-2000: 2.2 Mha Irrigated & 3.8 Mha Rainfed
2000-2011: 300,000 and 200,000 ha increased in rainfed
and irrigated cultivation areas, respectively.

15. Wheat yields (kg ha-1
) (1980-2011(
Average Grain Yield:
1980-1990: 2000 and 670 Kg/ha for irrigated and rainfed wheat, respectively.
1990-2000: 2750 and 830 Kg/ha for irrigated and rainfed wheat, respectively.
2000-2011: 3650 and 1060 Kg/ha for irrigated and rainfed wheat, respectively.

16. Wheat production (million tons) (1980-2011(
Average Wheat production:
1980-1990: 7 Million tons
1990-2000: 10 Million tons
2000-2011: 13.5 Million tons

17. Certified seed supplied (tons) 2004-10Certified seed supplied (tons) 2004-10
Year Irrigated Rainfed Total
% of
planned
2004 267962 57493 325455 100
2005 265352 70816 336141 93
2006 313472 96604 410076 97
2007 349695 102476 452171 94
2008 392484 113288 505772 103

18. 0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
Area(1000*ha(
Year
Microitionrrig
Sprinkle Irrigation
Development of pressurized irrigation (1990-2010)
• The existing surface of pressure irrigated land is about 1 million hectares
• The annual plan is 200 thousand hectares
• Prediction of 1 million hectares in the 5th
development plan of country

19. 85% of the costs of
pressurized irrigation will be
covered by Government
Based on budget law (2011)

20. Drought is always a limiting factor
Agronomy is a limiting factor to harvesting the genetic
potential of improved cultivars
Cold is limiting factor in Winter & Facultative wheat areas
Yellow rust remains the major disease.
Septoria is growing as a new major diseases in the Caspian
and southern regions
Sunn pest is a major pest in all areas.
RWA is becoming a growing problem in cold areas
Common aphid has become a problem in temperate and
warm areas
UG99 is a threat
Some weed species are becoming very invasive
Major Limiting Factors

24. D / H stress, Kermanshah,
2008
D / H stress, Oshnavieh,
2011
Zanjan 2008East Azerbaijan, 2008
Challenges: Drought and T. HeatChallenges: Drought and T. Heat

25. Challenges: Cold damageChallenges: Cold damage

26. Challenges: Diseases (Rust)

27. Top dressed by nitrogen in hope of more rain

28. Distribution of irrigated wheat grain yields in Iran

29. 1-Agronomy: Crop management/CA (3 million ha(
2-Physiology: Application of physiology in wheat breeding
programs for drought and heat tolerance. Earliness is
desirable.
3-Durable resistance for wheat rusts, particularly, Yellow
Rust.
4-Development of germplasm resistant to insect pest, e. g.
Sunn Pest.
5-Application of biotechnology particularly Marker Assisted
Selection (MAS) in wheat breeding programs for
diseases/pests resistance as well as heat and drought
tolerance
6-Enhancement of the rate of adoption of new cultivars.
7-Socio-economic studies on the adoption of new cultivars
and recommendation packages.
Research Priorities

30. Key achievements

31. Conservation Agriculture

32. Agronomy in rainfed wheat:
Time of sowing, Depth of sowing, Fertilizer in autumn, Rotation, etc.

33. Phonology

34. Nitrogen in autumn No Nitrogen in autumn

35. Nitrogen in autumnNitrogen in spring
Nitrogen Management

36. Forage - wheat
Forage-Wheat rotations
Fallow - wheat
Wheat-ChickpeaWheat-Wheat (5 years(

37. Residual management

38. Forage rotation and tillage systems for
increasing wheat production

39. Minimum conservation tillage

40. 85% of the costs of
conservation agriculture
equipments will be covered
by Government
Prediction of 3 million hectares in the 5th
development plan of country
Based on budget law (2010)

41. Normal Sowing Date
Late Sowing Date -2009

42. ‫نامناسب‬ ‫كاشت‬ ‫عمق‬
Normal and deep planting depth

43. Weed control (Rotation & chemical)

44. Field management
Recommended TechnologyRecommended Technology
((Grain yield=2.5 t/haGrain yield=2.5 t/ha))
Local practiceLocal practice
((Grain yield=0.5 t/haGrain yield=0.5 t/ha))

45. Bread Wheat Cultivars released 2001-2012
No. Cultivar Year of Release Institute Origin Growth Habit
1 Shahryar 2001 SPII Iran W
2 Azar2 2001 DARI Iran W
3 Koohdasht 2002 DARI CIMMYT S
4 Pishtaz 2002 SPII Iran S
5 Shiraz 2002 SPII Iran S
6 Tous 2002 SPII IWWIP F
7 Bam 2006 SPII Iran S
8 Neishabour 2006 SPII Iran S
9 Sistan 2006 SPII Iran S
10 Arta 2006 SPII Iran S
11 Moghan3 2006 SPII Iran S
12 Drya 2006 SPII Iran S
13 Bahar 2007 SPII ICARDA S
14 Pishgam 2008 SPII Iran F
15 Sivand 2009 SPII Iran S
16 Parsi 2009 SPII Iran S
17 Uroum 2009 SPII Iran W
18 Arg 2009 SPII Iran F
19 Rasad 2009 DARI Iran W
20 Morvarids 2009 SPII CIMMYT S
23 Homa 2009 DARI Iran W
21 Zare 2010 SPII IWWIP F
22 Mihan 2010 SPII Iran W
24 Aflak 2010 SPII CIMMYT S
25 Ohadi 2010 DARI Iran W
26 Rijaw 2011 DARI IWWIP F
27 Karim 2011 DARI ICARDA S
28 Gonbad 2012 SPII Iran S
29 Sirvan 2012 SPII CIMMYT S

46. Durum Wheat Cultivars released 2001-2012
No. Cultivar Year of Release Institute Origin Growth Habit
1 Arya 2003 SPII CIMMYT S
2 Karkheh 2005 SPII ICARDA S
3 Dena 2007 SPII CIMMYT S
4 Behrang 2009 SPII CIMMYT S
5 Dehdasht 2009 DARI Italy S
6 Saji 2010 DARI ICARDA S

47. Effects of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer
application on wheat grain yield

48. Supplemental irrigation study for response
of wheat production
Planting irrigation of 50 mm is very effective
0.8 t/ha
2 t/ha

49. Supplemental irrigation

50. Effects of Improved Practices at large scale
Province
Wheat Yield
(t/ha)
2001/02
(~4,000 ha)
Wheat Yield
(t/ha)
2002/03
(~85,000 ha)
Wheat Yield
(t/ha)
2003/04
(~70,000 ha)
TT Farm
er
Diff
%
TT Farm
er
Diff
%
TT Farm
er
Diff
%
E-Azar 1.91 1.19 60 3.22 1.80 79 3.65 2.15 70
Kohgi 2.43 1.35 80 3.18 1.73 83 3.47 1.90 83
Kordes 1.11 0.90 23 1.69 1.33 27 1.95 1.24 57
Lorstan - - - 1.61 1.24 30 2.35 1.45 62
Kerma 2.72 1.87 46 2.00 1.50 33 2.20 1.50 47

51. ICARDA
Extension
Dryland
Agricultural
Researchinstitute
Agri.
Implementation
sector
CenestaNGO
Collective team work
Farmer
Policymaker

52. Thank you for your kind
attention
Questions, comments and suggestions are welcome