Preparation and Development of a Strategic Plan for Improving Agricultural Water Productivity (WP) at the Plant scale in Iran

• Main Authors: Ashrafi, Shahram, Heydari, Nader, Mehrvar, Mohammad Reza, Ghaffari, A`bd Ol-A`li, Majidi Harvan, Eslam, Zar Bakhsh, A`bd Ol-Jalil, A`zizi Zahan, A`li Akbar, Sadeq Zadeh Hemayati, Sa`id, A`bbasi, Fariborz, Siyadat, Hamid, Zare`i, Qasem, Jalali Kamali, Mohammad Reza, Chugan, Rajab, Sharifi, Hamid Reza
• Format: Publication
• Language: Persian
• Published: Karaj (Iran) Agricultural Engineering Research Institute of Iran 2009
• Subjects: AGRICULTURAL POLICIES; DEVELOPMENT PLANS; GESTION DES RESSOURCES; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_16065; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_201; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_2227; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_6210; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_6524; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_8325; ORDENACION DE RECURSOS; PLAN DE DEVELOPPEMENT; PLANES DE DESARROLLO; POLITICA AGRICOLA; POLITIQUE AGRICOLE; PRODUCTIVIDAD; PRODUCTIVITE; PRODUCTIVITY; RECURSOS HIDRICOS; RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; RESSOURCE EN EAU; USO DEL AGUA; UTILISATION DE L'EAU; WATER RESOURCES; WATER USE

Responding to the problems and difficulties related to the agricultural activities is one of the important tasks of the agricultural research institute and other affiliated organization in developing countries. In this regard, policy makers and agricultural programmers are trying to conduct the agricultural researchers to practical and applicable research projects. Limited water resources in arid and semi-arid countries necessitates application of water with high productivity to be the first priority in the research programs. Considering agricultural sector as a highest water consumer than other sectors in any country, recognition of problems and difficulties related to the water consumption in different levels of Plant, Field and Basin is the first step for improving water productivity. In this regard, improvement of water productivity at the plant level and all related factors are discussed in this project. The domain and all related factors in this regard are consisting of followings: problems of water productivity in different cropping systems, water use by plant, management of water use by farmers, drought tolerance, breeding for drought tolerance, comprehensive drought management approaches, scope of genetic enhancement of yield under drought, genetic enhancement approaches, approaches for enhancing water productivity of saline water, managing shallow water table, special consideration for saline water use by plants, Economics of plant water productivity in managing water for agriculture, improving water productivity of the rain-fed cropping systems, effect of plant pattern and agronomic management on water productivity of the rain-fed systems. Considering ecological, management and socio-economic conditions of the agricultural sector with high deliberation, the problem tree of improving water productivity at the plant level, research and non-research (executive) problem & objective tree's of improving water productivity and at the end the priority of the pivot research and non-research able projects for water productivity improvement are presented. For instance, number of important research and executive approaches for water productivity improvement at the plant level are as follow: improving and introducing cultivars that tolerate to drought, salinity, heat and cold, enough planning and investment for releasing drought tolerance varieties, more attention to agroecology- crop suitability, concentration on climate change and its effect on plant and water productivity improvement, establishment of crop-climate data bank.