TEHRAN (Iran News) – The Iranian Central Organization for Rural Cooperatives (CORC) plans to adopt new measures of farming systems to optimize the use of natural resources in the drought-hit province of Sistan and Balouchestan in southeastern Iran, Deputy Minister of Agricultural Jihad Hossein Shirzad said. Shirzad, who is also the chief executive officer of […]
TEHRAN (Iran News) – The Iranian Central Organization for Rural Cooperatives (CORC) plans to adopt new measures of farming systems to optimize the use of natural resources in the drought-hit province of Sistan and Balouchestan in southeastern Iran, Deputy Minister of Agricultural Jihad Hossein Shirzad said.
Shirzad, who is also the chief executive officer of the CORC, said for boosting agro-entrepreneurship and optimizing natural resource exploitation, the organization has developed 16 Rural Production Cooperatives (RPCs) in Sistan plain.
Elaborating the project of “Irrigation of 46000 Hectares of Sistan Plain”, he reminded that the development of new farming systems has five steps including, feasibility study, development of cooperative societies, development of 285 advisory committees for participatory and integrated management of water and development of 12 founding board in the Zahak and Hamoon.
“Over 50% of the population of Sistan and Balouchestan province reside in rural areas. Therefore the development of integrated farming plans, modern greenhouses, and establishment of agro-processing and packaging industries are among the agenda of this project for sustaining rural communities along with the enhancing regional agro-economy,” the official noted.
“Rural and agricultural cooperatives are the last ring of the state administrative chain that provides service to small scale farmers in remote villages. Presently, about 40% of fertilizers and 30% of pesticides are distributed among farmers by cooperatives nationwide. Providing microcredit and marketing assistance to the members are among the cooperative responsibilities toward the Iranian agricultural community that CORC is reinforcing them through adopting appropriate policies, supporting and supervising the rural and agricultural cooperatives,” he has said earlier.
- source : Tasnim, Irannews
