"Food security is one of the most important issues affected by natural resource governance and water and soil management. Sustainable and resilient management of local communities is the axis of watershed management with a comprehensive approach and effective participation of all stakeholders and stakeholders to achieve sustainable food security,” Nikbakht said in a message to a meeting of the International Centre for the Integrated Management of Watershed and Bio-Resources in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions.

 

"In this regard, we need to support, educate and empower stakeholders, especially women and young people in rural and nomadic populations and share experiments,” the message further read.

 

"Iran, in line with achieving the protection, restoration and sustainable development of the land, has various fundamental measures in the field of sustainable rangeland management, conservation and protection of forests, and especially the popular one-billion-tree planting plan on its agenda. This infrastructural project is being pursued with the participation of people, local community officials, the private sector, relevant executive bodies and with the focus on the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization of the country,” it read.

 

The UN says by 2025, two-thirds of the world will be living under “water-stressed” conditions – when demand outstrips supply during certain periods – with 1.8 billion people experience absolute water scarcity, where a region’s natural water resources are inadequate to supply the demand. Migration is likely to increase as a result of desertification, with the UN estimating that, by 2045, it will be responsible for the displacement of some 135 million people.