Soil Resources of Iran: Challenges and Recommendations

Abstract

Agriculture has been practiced in Iran for millennia. The agricultural land of the country is presently fragile and rather limited, as only about 8% of the total land area is under annual crops and orchards. Soil resources of Iran are now facing big challenges which need to be seriously considered in the country’s sustainable development plan. These challenges include lack of an effective national soil policy, land degradation and desertification (erosion, salinity, declining soil fertility and organic matter, deforestation, soil pollution, deterioration of soil’s physical and biological condition), climate change, water shortage, and land-use changes. To combat these challenges, some recommendations are presented including formulation and implementation of an appropriate national soil policy, improving public awareness on the importance of soil resources, enhancing research quality, providing different thematic soil maps, improving agricultural extension and advisory services, and enabling the soil scientists to contribute and collaborate with other scientists in resolving the challenges facing the country’s soil resources. These recommendations need to be urgently taken by the government to ensure sustainability of soil resources, environmental protection, and, consequently, well-being of the next generations.