The Effects of Water Crisis on Food Production in Iran

Abstract

Food is an essential factor to human life and its production is strongly related to water. Regions without enough available water are subjected to food security threat. Iran is a country in the water-scarce region of the Middle East and a great part of it is arid and semi-arid areas. This study aimed to investigate the effect of water crisis on food production of Iran. Results showed that Iran is suffering from a high water stress situation. The agriculture sector of Iran is the major source for feeding its fast growing population and this section has put a severe pressure on groundwater resources in order to meet food demand of the country. Since then Iran has used a great part of its hydrologic renewable water resources and due to which it could be estimated that the withdrawals reached to non-renewable part of groundwater. Thus, Iran's agriculture would face a great challenge of water shortage in near future and the food security of the country will be threatened. Using new irrigation methods and technology and revision of crop pattern in agriculture are suggested in order to confront the threat of water crisis to the food security of Iran.