Tehran – Iran has joined the Global Soil Doctors Program, an initiative spearheaded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to promote sustainable soil management through a farmer-to-farmer learning model.

 

Nasser Davaatgar, Director General of Soil Affairs at Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted the crucial role of farmers in soil conservation, saying, “Government actions alone are not enough. Farmers, because of their constant presence on the land and their deep connection to it, are the most effective guardians of the soil.”

 

Under this initiative, locally trusted and respected farmers will be selected and trained through both classroom and field-based sessions, using accessible language and practical approaches, he added, noting, “These trained ‘Soil Doctors’ will then act as peer educators, passing on soil protection knowledge and techniques to other farmers in their communities.”

 

“The training will focus on identifying local soil challenges and offering actionable solutions tailored to each region. Upon completing the program, participants will receive certification and form cluster networks to continue training others, helping to build a nationwide grassroots network for soil conservation,” the official said.

 

According to Davaatgar, 28 countries are currently participating in the Soil Doctor initiative.

 

Iran has completed the initial registration process, and the first pilot phase is set to launch in September in Golestan Province, the report carried by the Ministry’s official website said.