INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
rainfall shortage surpassed the standard rate and if it declines more, we are one step away from a water crisis.Drought, low rainfall, and
then water shortage is the problem of many countries, especially Iran, which is also located in an arid region.Since ancient times, Iran has
been constantly struggling with water shortage, which caused the creation of qanats, so that people actually accepted that water is scarce
in the country.But for several years, along with the industrial and agricultural development, it seems that the available water resources
have been used unbridled, and the result is being on the verge of a water crisis.In fact, entering a water crisis is an index that is
measured based on the amount of water available per cubic meter per person per year, according to this index, if a country has more than
1,700 cubic meters of water per person per year, there is no problem with water resources.However, if this amount goes below 1,000 cubic
meters per person per year, we will enter a water crisis from water stress.Of course, parts of the country are struggling with a water
crisis, but we have not yet reached that stage in the country as a whole.Now the country is in a position where, due to extreme and climatic
conditions, the average rainfall is lower than the similar long-term average, Director of Water and Wastewater Research Center Abbas
hundreds and thousands of years, the average rainfall in the country was 250 mm per year, which has now decreased to about 200 mm per year
and is still decreasing.Forecasts show that rainfall will continue to decrease until 2050
explained.In 1920, Iran had about 17,000 cubic meters of water per person, which listed the country among those with rich water resources
Of course, we should note that the population in the country was smaller than now
After that, we experienced the trend of population increase and decrease in rainfall, so that after a few decades, the country experienced
water stress.The predictions of some international forums show that Iran will reach 500 cubic meters of water per capita in 2050, which will
But with new technologies, the above problem can be managed and solved, if the necessary plans are implemented and new and technological
ideas are used, he said.One of the solutions is optimizing water consumption in agriculture
The rate that the World Bank has estimated for this sector in order to deal with the water shortage crisis in the MENA region, i.e
North Africa and the Middle East region, is about 40 percent, in other words, if modern irrigation systems are used in agriculture, we can
save up to 40 percent of the water consumed in the agricultural sector.Iran experiences frequent droughts and faces the prospect of more
extreme conditions brought about by climate change.Of course, reaching this number is quite practical, with the development of modern
irrigation systems, the expansion of greenhouse farming, and the change of the cultivation pattern.The next issue in the water management
sector is the development and optimization of conventional methods such as water treatment plants, which can be used to reduce water loss or
to July 2021 was, in most places, substantially lower compared with the year-earlier period
Iran experiences frequent droughts and faces the prospect of more extreme conditions brought about by climate change.According to current
assessments, parts of Iran are facing a rainfall anomaly which has had an observed impact on vegetation and agriculture
Of particular concern is that these drought impacts have been observed in northeastern Iran in areas bordering Afghanistan.The Iranian Red
Crescent Society estimates that 4.8 million people are at medium to high risk of drought-related impacts, mostly in remote and rural areas
The lack of safe and sufficient water supply for drinking, hygiene, agriculture, animal husbandry, and electrical power is having a
coping mechanisms.Drought has so far incurred a loss of 28 trillion rials (about $107 million) to the environment, Hassan Akbari, deputy
head of natural environment and biodiversity of the Department of Environment, has said.Unfortunately, over 70 percent of the country is
suffering from severe drought
The severity of the drought is devastating in areas such as the Zagros, which is both a source of water and natural habitats, he
lamented.Droughts may affect three-quarters of the world by 2050The United Nations has warned that droughts may affect over three-quarters
but increasingly so in developed nations too.The number and duration of droughts have increased by 29 percent since 2000, as compared to the
two previous decades (WMO 2021)
When more than 2.3 billion people already face water stress, this is a huge problem
More and more of us will be living in areas with extreme water shortages, including an estimated one in four children by 2040 (UNICEF)
No country is immune to drought (UN-Water 2021).FB/MG
