Tehran – Iran's Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Water and Soil has called for greater private sector investment and increased funding to meet the country's target of equipping 350,000 hectares of farmland annually with modern irrigation systems under the Seventh National Development Plan.

 

Safdar Niazi Shahraki said 3.2 million hectares of farmland, nearly 40% of Iran's irrigated land, have already been equipped with modern irrigation systems to improve water efficiency amid growing water scarcity.

 

Under the national plan, 200,000 hectares are to be equipped each year with pressurized irrigation systems and 150,000 hectares with subsurface irrigation technologies, he added.

 

The deputy minister also announced a new financing model that increases farmers' share of project costs from 15% to 50%, with the government providing the remaining 50% as a grant, expressing hope the change will accelerate implementation.

 

Niazi said the ministry's strategy focuses on farmer training, targeted allocation of public funds, and attracting private investment to expand modern irrigation nationwide.

 

Among the provinces, Fars, Kerman, Khorasan Razavi, and East and West Azarbaijan have recorded the largest implementation areas, while Hormozgan leads in coverage with 85% of its irrigated land equipped with modern irrigation systems, followed by Tehran (65%) and Ilam.