When the Minister of Agriculture Is Unaware of the Reality of the Water Crisis

According to Rokna’s economic correspondent, last night Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, Minister of Agriculture Jihad, appeared on the “Special News Dialogue” program and, by presenting inaccurate statistics and making questionable remarks regarding water consumption and productivity, showed that he not only lacks accurate awareness of the water crisis in the country but also ignores the legal requirements of the development plan. When the key authority of national agriculture is at this level of unawareness, one cannot anticipate any meaningful reform in water resource management and food security.

When the Minister of Agriculture Is Unaware of the Reality of the Water Crisis!

A) In this program, Ghezeljeh stated:
“There was a time when most of the water was used in the agricultural sector, but currently, 70% of water is used in agriculture, and even this amount has not been realized this year.”

It must be said that this statement contradicts official statistics. According to data from the Ministry of Energy and official reports, the share of agriculture in water consumption is between 80 to 90 percent—not 70 percent! Specifically, in recent years, it has been repeatedly emphasized that agriculture is the largest consumer of water in the country, despite having a very low and weak value-added output. According to a recent report by the Parliament’s Research Center, in June of this year, the agricultural sector, with a negative growth of 3.5 percent, was the main factor behind the decline in economic growth, due to a drop in the production of crops, orchards, and livestock.

Despite consuming 80 to 90 percent of the country’s water, this sector contributes only a small share to the gross domestic product. Due to misguided policies, a focus on water-intensive crops, and lack of technology, its productivity is extremely low. Therefore, if the Minister refers to a specific source for the claim that agricultural water consumption has decreased to 70 percent, he must present the documentation.

B) He further stated: “The high water consumption in agriculture is not a problem, and this trend is natural; it’s the same all over the world.”

In response, it should be noted that although agriculture is indeed the main water consumer globally, this in no way implies that “excessive and inefficient consumption” is acceptable. Countries facing water crises have significantly increased water efficiency through modern technologies such as drip irrigation, subsurface irrigation, smart greenhouses, agricultural drones, and soil moisture sensors.

Countries like Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the UAE have shown, through reliance on domestic capabilities, expert knowledge, bold policymaking, departure from traditional beliefs, and adoption of modern technologies, that water can be produced—ranging from wastewater recycling to seawater desalination, from rainwater harvesting and storage to optimizing cropping and consumption patterns.

These countries, with only 2% of arable land, are considered major exporters of agricultural products in the region—achieving this with much lower water consumption compared to Iran.

In Iran, unfortunately, the efficiency of water use in the agricultural sector is about 30 to 35 percent, meaning more than 65 percent of the water is wasted. Therefore, describing high water consumption as “natural” without referencing the inefficiencies of the agricultural water system is a form of denial of the water crisis realities.

C) The Minister also said:“The Seventh Development Plan mandates that agricultural water consumption must be reduced.”

This statement is in direct contradiction to his two previous remarks. If high water consumption is not problematic and is “natural,” why has the Seventh Development Plan mandated a reduction of annual water use to 65 billion cubic meters?

Furthermore, according to the same plan, the government must achieve 90 percent self-sufficiency in essential food products by the end of the plan period. These two goals—without employing advanced technologies and serious water management—are practically contradictory and irreconcilable.

D) Ghezeljeh further stated: “With regard to productivity, the necessary work has been done, and new and precise engineering systems for smart technologies have been developed. We are in a very favorable situation but require resources.”

It must be added that if the country is indeed in a favorable position in terms of water productivity, then why are more than 85 percent of agricultural lands still being irrigated using traditional, water-intensive methods?

Why, according to statistics, have only about 20 percent of farmland been equipped with modern irrigation systems?

The Minister talks about engineering initiatives and innovations but refers to no specific data or practical outcomes. In reality, most of the progress remains on paper, and in the field, due to budget constraints, lack of farmer training, social resistance, and poor infrastructure, no noticeable change can be observed.

To conclude, it should be noted that, the statements made by the Minister of Agriculture, which on the surface attempt to reconcile high water consumption, food self-sufficiency, and productivity, are statistically inconsistent. Logically, his remarks about the “naturalness of high consumption” contradict the “requirement to reduce consumption in the Seventh Plan,” and practically, the claim of a “favorable situation” in productivity is far from field realities.

To overcome the water crisis and achieve self-sufficiency, it is imperative to embrace statistical honesty, invest in proven global technologies, implement transparent policymaking, and engage farmers in the process. Accepting reality is the first step in managing water resources.