Tehran - Iran has published its first independent national cultivation framework for medicinal plants, issued by the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands as the fourth volume in the country's agricultural pattern series.

 

Developed under the "Management and Processing of Medicinal Plants" project, led by researcher Maryam Makizadeh Tafti in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture experts, the program adopts a data-driven approach to guide production under resource constraints.

 

Priorities include climate-appropriate species selection, water-use optimisation, input efficiency, conservation agriculture, mechanisation, waste reduction, and value-chain development.

 

A key feature is the province-specific cultivation model, enabling targeted resource allocation, production planning, and investment decisions. The document also analyses water, input, and energy requirements across Iran's diverse climatic zones.

 

Implementation—supported by real-time production monitoring and decision-support systems—is expected to enhance water and land productivity, expand processing industries, boost farmer incomes, and strengthen Iran's competitive position in domestic and export markets.

 

The roadmap marks a practical step toward bridging research, policy, and execution, paving the way for knowledge-driven, sustainable growth in the medicinal plant sector.