Tehran, Dushanbe to boost co-op in sectors of energy, overseas farming
By Trend:
Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian said Tehran and Dushanbe
have explored ways to develop their cooperation in the fields of
energy and extraterritorial farming.
During a meeting in Dushanbe on June 21, Ardakanian held talks with
Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojidin Aslov on the sidelines of an
international water conference underway in Tajikistan, IRIB news
agency reported.
Both sides exchanged views about ways to enhance their mutual
cooperation in the sectors of energy and overseas farming.
The Iranian minister said Tajikistan has good potential in the
field farming, and the the two countries can increase their
agricultural cooperation in the framework of their joint economic
commission.
Aslov, for his part, referred to the commonalities between the two
nations and called for enhanced cooperation between the two in the
fields of energy and water.
He said his country was ready to help Iran with extraterritorial
farming in the face of the constraints of worsening land and water
resources in Iran.
Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Brazil and Ghana have been cited in Iranian
media among the places which Iran was pushing for long-term leasing
or ownership of farmlands with higher agribusiness potential.
Iran relies on imports for 90 percent of its requirements for
water-intensive products such as wheat and oilseeds. Other
water-guzzling crops such as watermelons have a steady army of
critics in a country where aquifers are critically overdrafted.