Head of International workshop on national rice development strategies for Central and West Asia (RRTC-CWA) Dr. Shahdi Komala said that 54 percent of total area for cultivation of rice in Central and West Asia is in Iran, but Iran is producing 61 percent of total rice of the region.
Shahdi pointed to the rising demand for rice in this region, so in order to face increasing demand, establishment of food security and reduction of poverty, we need to increase rice production by 25 percent more in the region until year 2035.
Head of (RRTC-CWA) said that rice consumption in the region has increased by threefold since 1980.
He stressed that according to prediction of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) rice consumption in the region will increase from around 9 million tons currently to 16.5 million tons in year 2035.
Shahdi said Iran and Iraq will allocate 50 percent of this demand until 2035 to themselves lonely.
He said that the center is trying to coordinate member-states for new scientific progresses and increase in production function and scientific, research cooperation with the world rice scientific society.
Shahdi said 10 countries of Iran, Azerbaijan Republic, Turkey, Iraq, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are covered by the center.
Head of Central and West Asian Rice Center said effects of global climate change on rice production through increase of greenhouse gases, increase in population, reduction of area for cultivation of rice, because of land use patterns and supplying less percent of world rice production in the market are the most important challenges of production of this crop in the level of international and regional.
The center has defined 15 goals to face the problems like promotion of cooperation among regional countries among themselves and other international institutes, development of scientific, research, cultural, economic and social relations between countries of the region with Iran's key role for its permanent hosting advantage, development of trans-territorial cultivation, improving quantity and quality of function, helping self-sufficiency of member-states, organizing and promoting knowledge level of farmers, experts through training, research and consultation, cooperation and participation and organizing associations and unions either public or private.
International Rice Research Institute located in Philippines and its Middle Eastern branch opened in Northern Province of Mazandaran in Iran in 2010.
IRNA
20 June
