Iran seeks deeper FAO cooperation to boost farm productivity, food security
Iran is seeking deeper scientific and technical cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to boost agricultural productivity and achieve sustainable food security amid water shortages, climate change and limited scope for expanding cultivated land, a senior agricultural official said.
Gholamreza Golmohammadi, deputy agriculture minister and head of Iran’s Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), made the remarks at a ceremony to sign a memorandum of understanding with the FAO, according to IRNA.
He thanked the FAO for its cooperation with Iran and said AREEO, as the Agriculture Ministry’s scientific and intellectual arm, had extensive capacity in scientists, researchers and specialists whose expertise should be transferred more effectively to the production sector.
Golmohammadi stressed the need to expand two-way cooperation with the FAO, saying AREEO was ready to provide technical, educational and specialized services to neighboring countries, Central Asian countries and other countries where the FAO runs development and training programs.
He said the international affairs offices of AREEO and the Agriculture Ministry could help create greater opportunities for Iranian specialists to participate in international programs and facilitate the transfer of agricultural knowledge and technology.
Iran has valuable scientific, research and practical experience in various agricultural fields, Golmohammadi said, adding that cooperation with the FAO could allow Iran to benefit from international knowledge and experience while also providing a channel for Iranian specialists to share their scientific capabilities and achievements with other countries.
He said the ultimate goal of the cooperation was to improve productivity, strengthen sustainable food security and use joint scientific capacities to address challenges facing the agricultural sector in Iran and other countries.