By the numbers
Achievements of Raisi’s Agriculture Ministry
The agricultural sector plays a significant role in ensuring food security, and one might even say it underpins national security. The following report outlines the actions taken by the government of Iran’s late president Ebrahim Raisi regarding some staple items; it then goes on to detail some of the initiatives of organizations under the Ministry of Agriculture, breaking down the work carried out within each department, starting with the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization (NRWO).
Natural Resources, Watershed Management Organization
Natural resource land ownership: The country holds 137 million hectares of natural resource land. Prior to the Raisi government, approximately 77 million hectares of these lands had ownership documentation. Under the previous government, this figure rose to 134.5 million hectares.
Watershed management: Before the Raisi government took office, watershed management projects were implemented in several provinces, covering several thousand hectares. However, due to the previous government’s efforts, a land restoration program for several million hectares was initiated for the first time. Scientific studies have already been conducted on seven million hectares of land across the country.
Following comprehensive and expert studies, watershed management of 20 million hectares of the country’s pastures was incorporated into the 7th National Development Plan (2023–27). During his visit to the Agriculture Ministry, president Raisi emphasized the revitalization of 50 million hectares of land nationwide, and this initiative was approved after further expert studies. It is also worth noting that the Raisi government fulfilled approximately 42% of the objectives outlined in the 6th National Development Plan (2016–2022) regarding watershed management.
According to experts from the country’s natural resources organization, there is a groundwater deficit of more than 140 billion cubic meters nationwide. This deficit can be addressed through the implementation of watershed management projects.
Demarcation of lands: The delineation of natural resource lands and watershed management was one of the other positive measures taken by the Raisi government. The demarcation of lands in this sector witnessed a 57% increase, rising from 89 million hectares at the start of that government to 140 million hectares by the end of the Iranian calendar year of 1402 (ended March 19, 2024).
Planting one billion trees: The ambitious plan to plant one billion trees was initiated by the Raisi government. This plan entailed planting 250 million saplings annually throughout the country with the involvement of the populace.
Land Affairs Organization of Iran
Resolving agricultural land use conflicts: One of the key challenges faced by Iranian farmers in their dealings with the government has been the issue of overlapping boundaries between national and agricultural lands. By the end of September 2021, 1.08 million hectares of land across the country had been cleared of such conflicts, which equates to 11% of the total land area. During the Raisi government, significant progress has been made, with this figure rising to 11.037 million hectares, representing a 922% increase. As a result, 75% of the country’s lands are now free from border conflicts.
Accreditation of agricultural lands: It is worth noting that up until August 2021, approximately 4% of agricultural lands (totaling about 1.780 million hectares) had been documented. In the last three years, there has been significant progress in this regard, with documents issued for an additional 8.604 million hectares, representing a 383% increase and bringing the total accredited land to 53% of the total agricultural land.
Consolidation of agricultural lands: Another initiative being pursued in the agricultural sector is the consolidation of small, fragmented plots of land that have fallen out of use over the last few decades. Until August 2021, when president Raisi took office, 256 hectares of agricultural lands had been integrated, and this figure rose significantly to 13,144 hectares during the Raisi government. This reflects a substantial growth rate of 5054% in the consolidation of small land parcels.
Identifying, preventing change of land use: One of the challenges faced is the threat of changing the use of agricultural land. In some cases, even first and second-class lands have been targeted by profiteers. Up until August 2021, 379,738 cases of land-use change were identified, and this number rose to 600,612 cases in the last three years, reflecting a growth rate of 58%.
Demolition of unauthorized constructions: Unauthorized constructions on agricultural lands that were demolished up until August 2021 totaled 109,296 cases. During the Raisi government, this number rose to 244,824 cases, reflecting an increase of 87%.
Allocation of land for agricultural projects: During the second-to-last government and up until August 2021, a total of 714,366 hectares of national land were allocated for agricultural projects. In the previous government, this allocation increased by 12%, reaching 799,153 hectares.
Land allotment for production, industrial projects: One of the key projects undertaken by the Land Affairs Organization of Iran is the allocation of land for production plans across various industries. During the penultimate government and up until August 2021, a total of 140,880 hectares of land were allotted for this purpose. However, under the Raisi government, the transfer of land in this sector increased by 12%, reaching a total of 150,891 hectares.
It is worth noting that in the realm of intelligent land monitoring, the technology to monitor and intelligently oversee the country’s land was not in place until August 2021. Due to the efforts of the Raisi government, this capability has now been implemented across all 31 provinces.
Iran Fisheries Organization
Aquatic exports: This area has a high capacity for revenue generation and supplies the basic goods market with high-calorie items, it is worth mentioning that in the calendar year of 1402, 210,000 tons of aquatic products were exported from the country, generating a value of $650,000. Three years before in 1399 (ended March 20, 2021), this figure stood at 139,000 tons, equivalent to $528 million.
Shrimp farming: The latest statistics from the calendar year of 1399 indicate that Iran had 15,000 hectares of shrimp cultivation fields, producing 48,000 tons of shrimp. Under the Raisi government, these figures have risen to 26,000 hectares, representing a 73% growth in cultivation fields and a 4% increase in production, yielding 50,000 tons of shrimp.
The relatively modest 4% increase in production, compared to the significant 73% increase in cultivation, can be attributed to the emergence of a disease affecting these marine animals. Specifically, acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), which is a bacterial disease prevalent worldwide, has impacted shrimp farms. Bacterial diseases tend to have prolonged lifespans, whereas viral diseases present less of a challenge in this regard.
Despite these challenges, Iran has achieved 96% of its goals set for this sector in 1402.
Production of fish in cages: By the end of the second-to-last government, there were 133 cages in the sea, resulting in the production of 2.6 thousand tons of fish. These figures have seen significant growth, reaching 356 cages and yielding 6,318 tons of fish by the end of 1402, representing increases of 167% and 143%, respectively.
Eyed eggs: Eyed eggs refer to fertilized salmon eggs that have developed to a stage where they are ready to be transferred. The term “eyed egg” describes this stage, as the eyes of the developing fish become visible inside the egg.
In 1399, 202 million pieces of eugenic eyed eggs were produced in Iran, and this number rose to 367 million pieces in 1402, reflecting an 81% growth rate. As a result of these initiatives, salmon production in the country has increased over the last three years.
Algae production: Algae production holds significance due to the crucial role algae play in ecosystems. They serve as a food source for numerous aquatic animals, and some varieties are even suitable for human consumption. Additionally, algae are prolific producers of oxygen through photosynthesis.
At the end of the penultimate government, algae production stood at 40 tons (wet weight), and this saw a substantial increase of 820% under the Raisi government, reaching 368 tons by the end of 1402.
Ornamental fish: Ornamental fish breeding and exports contribute significantly to the country’s economy, benefiting from a strong market demand. In 1399, the production of ornamental fish stood at 276 million pieces, and this number increased by 37% to reach 379 million pieces in 1402.
Aquatic production: In 1399, 1.268 million tons of aquatic products were produced domestically. This figure grew by 11% last year, reaching a total of 1.408 million tons.
Job creation: Employment statistics within the fisheries sector also showed a positive trend. By the end of the calendar year of 1399, the sector employed 237,000 people, and this number rose to 261,000 by the end of 1402, reflecting a 10% growth rate.
Fishing: In 1399, the country’s fishing yield totaled 715,000 tons, and this amount increased by 7.8% to reach 771,000 tons by the end of 1402.
Aquaculture: Within the sector of fish and other marine products, Iran raised 553,000 tons of fish in 1399. By the end of 1402, this figure rose to 637,000 tons, reflecting a 15% growth rate.