Tehran - A senior researcher at Iran’s Animal Science Research Institute has identified water scarcity as the most significant climate-related challenge affecting the country’s agriculture, particularly high water-demand crops such as grain and silage corn.

Alireza Aghashahi, Associate Professor and Head of the Livestock and Poultry Nutrition Research Department, said that replacing corn with drought-tolerant crops like sorghum offers a practical solution. Known as the “camel of forage crops,” sorghum is highly resistant to drought and has a deep root system that enables it to better withstand water shortages.

 

He emphasized that substituting corn with sorghum can enhance resilience to climate change while maintaining sustainable forage production, adding that adapting to water scarcity requires a systemic approach across the agricultural value chain.