FNA - Iran and India agreed to bolster their scientific cooperation in area of managing water resources and biotechnology.

The agreement includes 12 joint projects, 8 in biotechnology and 4 in water resources management, to be implemented by the two countries' universities.


Also, based on the agreement, the joint committees for scientific and research cooperation between Iran and India will hold a meeting in November 2018 in New Delhi to decide about new arenas for mutual scientific cooperation in 2019.


Iran is located in an arid region of the world, and many parts of it are covered by deserts. Furthermore, drought, substantial declines in rainfall, an overuse of resources, and water mismanagement have led to many of the country’s vital lakes, rivers, and ponds drying up in recent years.


According to several assessments, the level in Iran’s watersheds has dropped half a meter, on average, over the past 15 years.


The assessments published on the National Geographic website in 2008 indicated that the level of underground waterbeds in Iran dropped about 15 meters between 1971 and 2001.