Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.25
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is considering to develop a comprehensive plan to address the water shortage problem in Iran.
FAO's representative in Iran, Serge Nakouzi, said if Iran acts based on FAO plans, its water resources will be restored in a short period of time, Iran's IRNA news agency reported on October 25.
He added that FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva will travel to Iran in early 2015.
Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Reza Chitchian said that the situation of water resources in Iran has passed beyond the critical condition.
"At present, 96 billion cubic meters of the country's total 120 billion cubic meters of renewable water resources are being consumed annually," he said, adding that if 40-60 percent of renewable water resources are consumed in any country, that country is said to be in a critical condition.
Iran's total annual water consumption is approximately 93 billion cubic meters, out of which about 92 percent is used in agriculture (86 billion cubic meters), 6.6 percent in municipality (6.18 billion cubic meters), and 1.2 percent in industry (1.12 billion cubic meters), according to FAO.
Up to 70 percent of water used in the agriculture sector is being wasted, Iranian officials say.