Minister hails FAO decision to
award GIAHS certificate to Estahban fig orchards 

 Iranian Minister of Agriculture Mohammad Ali
Nikbakht hailed a decision by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO) to award the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage
Systems (GIAHS) certificate to Estahban Rainfed Fig Orchards.  

"Cultivation of figs has a
vital economic and social role in the region and the livelihood of thousands of
households, directly and indirectly. During the harvest season, people of the
region spend more than one month a year picking figs in these gardens,"
Nikbakht said in a recent statement.

He added, "Undoubtedly,
this heritage system, while supporting livelihood and food security,
agricultural biodiversity, sustainable indigenous knowledge systems, cultural
and social practices and values, as well as unique perspectives with the aim of
developing sustainable agricultural, rural and food tourism, can play an
effective role in achieving the economic, social and environmental stability of
the Estehban region.

This adds to the duty of the Ministry of Agriculture to
support the dynamic development and preservation of such global agricultural
heritage systems in our country".

The FAO decision was finalized
after Professor Lee, a scientific advisor to GIAHS Secretariat, visited the
site. 

The Iranian entrée was
designated by the GIAHS Scientific Advisory Group in 2019 but the process was
halted due to the spread of the COVID-19. Iran is one of the most important
figs producers in the world, while the city of Estahban, counting 2.200.000
thousand fig trees in 22.613 hectares, is the most important center for figs
production. Gardeners in the region have valuable experiences in the process of
planting, harvesting and preserving the rain-fed figs.

The figs crops are here
maintained in the traditional way and the irrigation system is a unique way of
water and soil management for figs cultivation. This is based on a method that
makes easier the water flow through figs crops during rainfall, minimizing at
the same time the possibility of erosion and flooding.  

Figs are not the only products
of this system. In fact, Estahban gardeners also cultivate other horticultural
varieties such as grapes, almonds, olives, pomegranates, walnuts, apricots,
apples and saffron. Thanks to the climatic conditions, soil features and the
water management system developed in Estahban there are vegetation fields that
grow along figs crops and they are mostly cultivated with carrot plants.

 This unique way of territory management is the
result of the coexistence and adaptation between man and nature.