Water poverty or poor management?

  Young Online: Iran's water crisis today, rather than due to the lack of natural resources, is the result of decades of mismanagement, inaction, and inaccurate policy making.

1 % of the country's drinking water is wasted;  A number that is greater than Tehran's total water consumption!  But instead of investing in reforming this worn -out network, billions of dollars are spent on transferring water from the sea;  Because projects are rented and transferred to the influential contractors.

While the total of 5 % of Iran's total water is consumed in agriculture, policies have not yet moved towards cultivating low -cost crops or reforming irrigation pattern.  Even in critical areas, watermelon and watermelon cultivation (for export!)  That is, we actually export water.

Castral example: Isfahan province's total agricultural products are worth $ 5 million annually, but the cost of water transfer to the province is $ 5 million!

Food self -sufficiency policy has been pursued for years without regard to the country's limited climate and water resources;  On the one hand, they have been ordered to reduce water consumption, on the other hand, increase the production of strategic products!  This contradiction is the story of policymaking.

Officials still see water as "heavenly goods" and are waiting for the downfall, neither scientific planning, nor data -oriented management.

Low productivity in agriculture is also a big problem: 2 billion cubic meters of water is spent to provide only 2 % of the country's GDP from agriculture!

Sharif University professor warns: If the action is not taken, the situation will get worse every year.  But the priority with costly projects is not to reform the structure and save water.