Soil Health Issues, Challenges and Priorities in Iran by Karim Shahbazi

1. 21-23 November 2018, Bangkok
Soil and Water Research Institute (SWRI),
Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO)
Email: kshahbazi@swri.ir
Regional Conference on Soil and Plant Health towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Asia-
Pacific
Soil Health
Issues, Challenges and Priorities
I.R. IRAN
Karim Shahbazi
1

2. land use in Iran
Iran Total Area
165 Mha
Non Soil/other
89.1 Mha
Soil
75.9 Mha
Arable lands
18.5 Mha
Forest lands, Range lands, and Other
unsuitable lands for agriculture (i.e. Desert)
57.4 Mha
Irrigated
8 Mha
Rainfed
6.3 Mha
Fallow
4.2 Mha
Lands without any
limitations
1.2 Mha
Lands with different kinds of
limitations (e.g. salinity)
6.8 Mha
2* M Ha: Million Hectares

3. Soil health issues
• Organic carbon content (SOC in > 60% of soils is <1%)
• Climatic condition
• Undeveloped soils
• Improper soil and crop management
• Plant-available nutrient (Available P, Zn and Fe in 70, 56 and 40 percent of soils
are below the critical levels respectively and require annual fertilizer to avoid profit loss)
24%
39%
21%
9% 7%
<0.5%
0.5-1%
1-1.5%
1.5-2%
>2%
51%
31%
18%
<10 mg/kg
10-20 mg/kg
>20 mg/kg
34%
35%
31% <0.5 mg/kg
0.5-1 mg/kg
>1 mg/kg
16%
24%60% <2.5 mg/kg
2-4.5 mg/kg
>4.5 mg/kg
Ava. P Ava. FeAva. Zn
• Soil contamination (with heavy metals and chemical compounds in site-
specific due to disposal of municipal wastes and industrial effluents (areas around mines,
industry, big cities)
3

4. • Soil salinity 6.8 Mha of irrigated (total irrigated land is
8Mha) land are affected by salinity and 4.3 Mha has only
salinity limitation
•Development of salinity in soil and water
The salinity of soils and ground waters have been increasing in recent years due to:
•poor water management
• decrease of precipitations
• overdraft of ground water
• negative balance of recharge has resulted in both the lowering of ground water
tables and higher salinity of irrigation water
•Nutrient depletion in soils
Soil health issues
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
Amount(1000ton)
Removal
Consumption
There is unbalanced fertilization with
insufficient inputs and improper application
schedule.
4
•Soils physical properties
Agricultural activities are affecting:
(soil hydraulic properties (Ks, SWRC), compaction
soil quality)

5. •Agricultural intensification Agricultural land is limited and Population growth
has been increased food demand in recent decays (The population of Iran is about 82
million, a fourfold increase during 60 years)
•Dust Storms Low content of soil moisture and lack of vegetation cover lead to fine
particle’s release. The dust storms are the most frequent natural disasters in recent years.
Lakes/wetlands drying (for example Lake Urmia) may cause sand and salt storms in future
Soil health issues
5

6. Soil health Challenges
• Soil, water and wastewater mismanagement
• Climate change
• Low public awareness
• Sectarian and disciplinary approaches in policy making
• land use change
6
1955
(5535 ha)
2001
(76370 ha)
Area of Tehran

7. Recent achievements and initiatives regarding soil health
•Passing the “Soil Conservation Law” in the parliament: (Iranian
parliament passed “soil Conservation Law” in Sep, 2018)
•Development of “Comprehensive soil fertility
and plant nutrition program 2014-2025”
•Establishment of the Office of Registration and Quality Control
of Fertilizers All types of fertilizers ( Chemical , organic , biostamulant , compost ,
bio-fertilizer,…) must be register before the products can be legally sold.
•Development of the National Soil Standards (For example: National
standards for the contents of heavy metals in soils)
•Development of “Research Program on
Sustainable Soil and Water Management”,
2015
7

8. •Starting soil quality monitoring project in agricultural lands
since 2015
•Extension and educational activities
•Annually participation of all stakeholders in the World Soil Day ceremony
• Inclusion of soil aspects in the Elementary and High school since 2017.
Lesson
10
Valuable soil
Elementary school
High school
Lesson 2
Soil as a base of Life
Recent achievements and initiatives regarding soil health
8

9. Recent achievements and initiatives regarding soil health
•Development of comprehensive information databases (soils, fertilizers,
laboratories, national suitability land use, ..)
National Soil Information System of Iran(NSISI)
http://nsisi.swri.ir/
National suitability land use
https://nlss.ir/
http://www.kswri.ir/
Comprehensive Fertilizer information Database
Soil and Water Laboratories Management system
http://www.swrilab.ir/
9
Public lab: 31
Private Lab: 160

10. • Development of sustainable soil management expert systems
• Preparation of soil organic carbon map
• Implementing conservation agriculture
• Reduction of soil erosion through improved watershed
management
• Identification of polluted soils (location, type and degree of
pollution)
• Use of bio and organic fertilizer in agricultural land
• Conducting research on new biofertilizers know-how
• Increase of public awareness on soil’s socio-economic aspects
• Approaching demand driven water management
Priorities on soil health
10

11. 11
Thanks for
your attention
Regional Conference on Soil and Plant Health towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Asia-
Pacific
21-23 November 2018, Bangkok