Iran has set the target of restoring 20 million hectares of rangeland as part of its Seventh National Development Plan, according to the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization. This was reported by Tehran Times, a partner of TV BRICS.

Speaking at a meeting of provincial deputies, Abolghasem Hosseinpour, head of the organisation’s rangeland affairs office, highlighted the crucial role of rangelands as protective barriers for fragile ecosystems in arid regions. 

He described the rangelands as a “biological belt” that helps curb the spread of desertification, stressing the need for tailored programmes to safeguard and restore degraded areas.

Hosseinpour also warned that climate change, declining rainfall and shrinking snow cover are placing growing pressure on Iran’s rangelands. So far, 7.6 million hectares have been rehabilitated, officials confirmed.

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