10 Solar Farms to Be Established in Iran’s Desert and Forest Ecosystems

During a joint meeting attended by Dr. Reza Aflatouni, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jihad and Head of the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization, and Dr. Aishani Madagangoda-Labe, Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Development Programme Office in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a memorandum of understanding was signed for the “Development and Operationalization of the Project Document on Enhancing Rural Resilience in Iran’s Desert and Forest Ecosystems.”

Focusing on the development of integrated solar energy systems, the establishment of green funds, and the implementation of community-based social and economic development programmes, the project seeks to introduce an innovative model for sustainable rural development in the target areas.

Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Reza Aflatouni emphasized the importance of expanding international cooperation in the field of natural resources and said: “Sustainable development in desert and forest ecosystems requires innovative approaches, targeted investment, and the active participation of local communities.”

He added: “The development of renewable energy, particularly solar energy, can create new economic opportunities and sustainable employment, while reducing pressure on natural resources and strengthening the resilience of local communities to climate change.”

Under the provisions of the memorandum of understanding, 10 solar farms will be established in the target areas to serve as drivers of economic and social development. The project will cover desert areas in the provinces of Kerman, South Kerman, Golestan and Razavi Khorasan, as well as forest ecosystems in the provinces of Fars, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Lorestan, and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad.

The solar power plants envisaged under the project will be developed with the participation of local communities. By generating clean energy and connecting to the national electricity grid, they will provide the foundation for sustainable income, job creation, and the strengthening of local economies.

The cooperation also focuses on the economic empowerment of vulnerable groups, the development of rural cooperatives, support for innovative and sustainable employment, and the enhancement of the role of women and young people in local development processes.

The project’s outcomes will ultimately contribute to the development of a national model for strengthening rural resilience and promoting sustainable development in the country’s desert and forest ecosystems.

According to the report, the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, based at the Desert Affairs Office of the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization, will serve as the project’s executive manager. The Organization’s Office of Public Relations and International Affairs will act as the strategic manager and will be responsible for coordinating and following up on the implementation of the project’s various stages.