TEHRAN – Following the Iranian Agriculture Ministry’s new irrigation systems development plan, so far 2.4 million hectares of farmlands have been equipped with modern irrigation systems, the ministry’s project manager for the mentioned development plan said.

According to Abbas Zare, the plan for developing new irrigation systems has witnessed a significant leap in the past three years, as it is most effective in increasing the efficiency of water and soil resources and strengthening the country's food security, Mehr news agency reported.

Over the past three years, each year, an average of 150,000 hectares of farmlands have been equipped with modern irrigation systems, and we have witnessed a 300 percent jump, he stated.

The official expressed hope that considering the budget allocation for the provinces at the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 20), the ministry would be able to develop the project in terms of both quantity and quality.

Last week, Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian said Energy Ministry has implemented 301,000 hectares of irrigation and drainage networks since 2017.

According to Ardakanian, the ministry has it on the agenda to bring 2.86 million hectares of land in the downstream of the country’s dams under irrigation systems.

“The number has now reached 2.4 million, and it is hoped that by the Iranian calendar year of 1406 (begins on March 2027) all the mentioned networks would be implemented,” he added.

EF/MA