Soil and Water Conservation for Desertification Control in Iran - Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - page 380

4.1 New Fields of Research

As well as continuing previous activities, there are some other fields of desert
research as follows:

1. Assessment and monitoring of desertification. This activity is performing as a
national and integrated project using remotely sensed data and GIS, which will
be completed and updated by field investigations. In general there is an upward
trend of desertification in the country, but real data are not yet available. As more
advanced sensing and evaluation techniques (Shafie et al. 2012 ) are applied to the
problem the picture will be become clearer and provide government with focus
areas for urgent attention as well as an aid in the development of an action plan
to combat desertification and land degradation.
2. Use of new techniques of plant breeding in order to produce the most tolerant
generation of desert plants and salt tolerant plants. Biosaline agriculture is a
possibility (see also Toderich et al., Chap. 13 ) .
3. Improvement and modification of useful and simple to use of water saving
methods. For example there is a great project for utilization of clay pipes after
special processing in order to use as sub ground irrigation tools.
4. Ascertain the origin of sand dunes. The most effective sand dune fixation activity
could be done in the area which is origin of the blown sands. Wind direction
and speed analysis, study of sand morphology, finger printing of mineral
composition; are the technical ways for recognition the origin of sand dunes.

4.2 Educational Programs to Strengthen Institutional

and Technical Capacity

Over the past decades Iranian universities have strengthened their teaching
and research in the areas of Natural Resource management, especially on
watershed management and rangeland management including rangeland/livestock
relationships.

4.2.1 Watershed Management

The final goal of the watershed management departments is to apply integrated
management of watershed in all catchments throughout the whole country in order
to reduce water loss, soil erosion and foster rational use land, water and other natural
resources. The specific objectives are:

- Expanding the knowledge and attitude of people about watershed management

activities.

- Implement projects to arrest and reverse land degradation based on sound

principles and good design