Tehran – Iran has developed an initiative to improve water and energy efficiency, expand controlled-environment farming and attract investment in specialized agricultural production.

 

Iran is pursuing the development of specialized agricultural hubs tailored to the climatic conditions of different regions, with a focus on improving water and energy efficiency, expanding controlled-environment production and creating new investment opportunities.

 

Akbar Fathi, deputy agriculture minister for planning and economic affairs, outlined the strategy during a meeting with executives of the Iran Agricultural Townships Company, emphasizing the need to develop production infrastructure in line with the natural and economic potential of different regions.

 

According to the Agriculture Ministry’s official website, Fathi identified greenhouse complexes, livestock farming, aquaculture and agricultural processing industries as key priorities for the sector.

 

He said controlled-environment production systems and advanced technologies could help reduce water consumption, improve resource efficiency and strengthen food security.

 

Highlighting the country’s diverse climatic conditions, Fathi called for agricultural hubs to be developed according to regional capacities. He also stressed the importance of facilitating investment procedures and improving coordination among relevant institutions.

 

Fathi described the transition from traditional farming methods to knowledge-based production models as essential to agricultural development, emphasizing that market demand should guide production planning.

 

He said the role of agricultural hubs should extend beyond providing land and basic infrastructure to encompass the development of agricultural value chains, product processing, marketing and efforts to increase the value added of agricultural products.

 

The deputy minister also called for improved conditions for investors, streamlined regulations and stronger cooperation among government agencies involved in agricultural development.

 

Abdolreza Bazdar, the newly appointed acting head of the Iran Agricultural Townships Company, stressed the need to assess existing capacities and prioritize projects based on their stage of completion, operational readiness and potential to increase agricultural production.

 

He identified the effective use of existing infrastructure, attention to producers’ needs and stronger coordination among relevant sectors as key factors in developing specialized agricultural hubs.

 

The remarks were made at a ceremony marking Bazdar’s appointment as acting head of the company, which is responsible for developing specialized agricultural production infrastructure and facilitating investment in the sector.