FAO and  the Government of Iran conducted a 10-day international study tour that aimed to share technical expertise on rehabilitation of forests and degraded land with experts from five countries.

According to a press release published by the Representation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Iran, the International Study Tour on “Rehabilitation of Forest Landscapes and Degraded Land with Particular attention to Saline soils and areas prone to Wind Erosion (RFLDL) project achievement and lessons learnt- Sustainable Land and Forest Management” run from 1 to 11 May 2017.

Degradation of drylands is one of the most serious problems on natural resource management around the world. Thus, FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture Jahad of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2011 initiated RFLDL as a joint project co-funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF) to tackle the immediate challenge of land degradation in Kerman and South Khorasan Provinces. This project is scheduled to be closed in June, 2018.

During the international study tour that organized by the Ministry of Agriculture Jahad and FAO Representation in Iran, experts from Iraq, Germany, Ghana, Turkey and Italy visited Tehran, Isfahan, South Khorasan, West Azarbaijan and Kerman provinces. The pillars of discussions between national and international experts were mainly focused on dust storms as the consequence of land degeneration.

The main objectives of the study tour were: sharing and exchange of information and experiences with other countries on natural resources participatory management in arid and semi-arid lands; introducing the Islamic Republic of Iran's experiences on Sustainable Land and Forest Management (SLFM) with emphasis on RFLDL Project achievements; reviewing the role of native knowledge on natural resources participatory management; introducing success stories/spin-off and projects on management of arid and semi-arid lands; RFLDL project achievement and lessons learnt- sustainable land and forest management.