[caption id="attachment_147264" align="alignright" width="164"] 08 Aug 2010, Iran --- Water has left the path to salt drifts, dry shrubs and abandoned piers. Lake Urmia, Iran.[/caption]
Tehran, March 10, IRNA – Dean of Nuclear Agriculture Research Center Ebrahim Moghiseh said on Tuesday that Iran ranks first in the Middle East and Asia in terms of improper use of water and soil.




Addressing the Seminar on the Status of Nuclear Technology in Scientific and Economic Development of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the country, Moghiseh said the dust storms results from lack of sound management of water and soil in the country to the extent that wind and water attrition in Iran is estimated to stand six to 33 tons a year.

He highlighted importance of soil management and said soil is an asset which needs time to be produced: each centimeter of soil takes about 300 to 700 years to be produced but unfortunately, improper management in Iran results in ruining several centimeters of soil.

He then referred to significance of soil in food security and said based on research made, the irrigation under pressure might result in about 20 to 30 percent increase in water exploitation despite hefty cost.

He called for soil management, using modern science and sophisticated technology, increase in soil productivity, more fertility of soil and using diversified ploughs and mineral materials to conserve soil and water.


By IRNA