Full implementation of the Seventh Plan is the way to overcome the agricultural crisis/Only 30% of the Sixth Plan was achieved

According to Ashura News, citing IRNA, Mohammad Javad Askari stated on Saturday at the meeting of the Lorestan Planning and Development Council: "To address concerns about food security and employment and to utilize the country's huge potential capacities in the field of agriculture, we must implement the Seventh Development Plan in a complete and comprehensive manner."

Referring to the shortcomings of the Sixth Development Plan in the fields of water and agriculture, he added: "The executive goals of the Sixth Development Plan in the fields of water, agriculture, natural resources, and the environment were only 30 percent achieved, and that too incompletely. However, in the Seventh Development Plan, with the efforts of colleagues in the commission, a complete and comprehensive program has been developed that can compensate for past shortcomings, even in this year's vision document."

The head of the Agricultural Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly described the issue of food security as a vital issue intertwined with national security, adding: "Today, any small event in any corner of the world can affect the food security of countries, and any country that does not move in this direction based on a roadmap and a written plan will be harmed."

Askari emphasized: Iran's capacity and capabilities in the agricultural sector are not hidden from anyone, but why we have not been able to actualize these capacities is a question that we must answer ourselves regarding the precise implementation of the laws.

The necessity of following up on approvals to combat pests in the Zagros forests

He also pointed out the worrying situation of the Zagros forests and said: Zagros is one of the unique forest regions with special stratifications that has been subjected to a pest epidemic, especially the oak leaf-eating pest.

Recalling his previous trip to the region with the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Askari stated: During that trip, funds were allocated for the restoration, improvement, and reconstruction of the Zagros forests as well as pest control, and now provincial officials and specialized managers at the national level must seriously follow up on these approvals until they reach the implementation stage.

He noted: The purpose of the provincial trips is to hear the problems from the real beneficiaries and stakeholders and transform them into operational decisions so that we can follow the path of development with precision, wisdom and prudence and overcome the existing crises.

Kohdasht ranks first in land subsidence

The representative of the people of Kohdasht and Rumeshkan in the Islamic Consultative Assembly also pointed out that 87 percent of the agricultural lands of these two counties are dry land and said: "Given the drought crisis and Kohdasht's first rank in land subsidence, there is no bright future for agriculture in this region unless urgent measures are taken with the efforts of the authorities."

Ali Emami Rad stated: "Unfortunately, due to drought, the phenomenon of land subsidence in Kohdasht is showing itself more and more day by day, and according to statistics, this county has taken the first place in soil subsidence."

He stated: "In total, out of about 150 thousand hectares of land in these two counties, less than 14 thousand hectares, that is, only 12 to 13 percent is irrigated and 87 percent is dry land, which, considering the current conditions of agriculture and horticulture in the region, will not have a bright future."

He expressed hope that with the efforts of the governor, the cooperation of the parliamentarians, and the actions of the ministries of agricultural and power, a better future will be achieved for agriculture in these counties.

Emami Rad added: The total agricultural land of Kohdasht is 130 thousand hectares, of which only 12 thousand hectares are irrigated and 118 thousand hectares are cultivated in dry land. The county also has 2 thousand 650 hectares of gardens, and the total production of its agricultural and garden sector reaches 310 thousand tons.

He also referred to the livestock capacities of Kohdasht and said: This county has 370 thousand heads of light livestock and 18 thousand heads of heavy livestock, and 2 thousand 600 tons of red meat, 11 thousand 500 tons of white meat (poultry and fish) and 100 tons of honey are produced in this area annually.

The representative of the people of Kohdasht and Rumeshkan also stated regarding the agricultural situation of Rumeshkan county: Out of a total of about 18 thousand hectares of land in this county, only 1 thousand 700 hectares are irrigated and 16 thousand hectares are rainfed, and there are 200 hectares of gardens on its sloping lands.

Lorestan's agricultural potential has been neglected

The representative of the people of Khorramabad and Chegni in the Islamic Consultative Assembly also criticized the non-implementation of past resolutions and said: There is little use of the province's water and soil capacity and agricultural sector, so it is expected that the resolutions of this session will become a reality so that the society will realize the effectiveness of the sessions.

Hadi Hasheminia stated: Management and policy-making are within the authority of ministerial managers, and correct policy-making must be carried out so that its role is seen in the provinces. Also, the manager at the ministry level should not only be the implementer, but should also theorize, present new ideas, and provide the basis for change in the current situation with expert opinions.

Referring to the livestock input crisis, he said: This issue is becoming a social crisis, livestock and poultry farmers are in a situation where every day is decisive for them and at any moment they may lose their main capital, so incorrect or mistaken policies must be responded to and necessary predictions must be made.

The representative of the people of Khorramabad and Chegni in the Islamic Consultative Assembly also pointed out the need to determine the status of land conflicts and added: "Many farmers depend on a small plot of land for their livelihood, and the problem of acquiring their land must be resolved as soon as possible."

Referring to the activities of the Agricultural Development Support Fund, Hashemi Nia stated: "This fund, which covers more than 172 cooperatives and unions with a population of 4.5 million people, requires a special budget line in the budget bill so that it can be strengthened and act as a complement to the government and the parliament."