2004年-世界发展银行全球_Islamic_Republic_of_Iran___An_Agricultural_Policy_Note_46页_4mb

Summary of the Islamic Republic of Iran Agricultural Policy Note

Core Content

This report provides an analysis of the agricultural development outcomes and policy framework in Iran, with a focus on structural, institutional, and sectoral challenges. It outlines the historical evolution of rural society and agrarian structure, assesses the performance of the agricultural sector, and presents recommendations for future policy reforms and interventions.

Main Views and Key Information

1. Agricultural Development Outcomes

• Growth: Although the share of agriculture in GDP has declined, the sector experienced rapid growth of 4.9% during the 1990s. However, this growth has slowed, and the sector's importance is diminishing despite efforts to meet domestic food demand.
• Rural Poverty: Rural areas account for a major portion of poverty in Iran. In 1998, 57% of the poor lived in rural regions, even though only 38% of the population was rural. Poverty is especially concentrated in Eastern and Western provinces.
• Environmental Sustainability: The agricultural sector faces significant environmental challenges, including deforestation, soil erosion, overgrazing, and water table depletion, which threaten long-term productivity and sustainability.

2. Policy Context

• Sectoral Importance: Agriculture contributes 15% to Iran's GDP (1991–2001), and 26% of non-oil exports. However, it has been shielded from foreign competition through high tariffs and non-tariff barriers.
• Self-Sufficiency Focus: The government prioritizes domestic production to meet food needs, especially for wheat, rice, and vegetable oils, while relying on developing countries for imports. Price supports and input subsidies have been used to ensure remunerative prices and reduce production costs.
• Policy Evolution: During the 3rd Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP), there was a gradual removal of quantitative import restrictions and a shift towards tariffs. There was also a reduction in licensing and distribution controls for some products.
• 4th FYDP Preparation: Iran is preparing for its 4th FYDP and aims to integrate agricultural and rural development into a broader economic liberalization strategy, while maintaining distributional justice. A strategic framework for agricultural development is still lacking.

3. Opportunities and Challenges

• Opportunities:
  • Strong agricultural potential, especially in export crops.
  • Significant rural development achievements, such as:
    • Cultivation of 2.2 million hectares of marginal land.
    • 13 billion m³ of additional irrigation water managed.
    • Construction of 51,000 km of gravel roads and 11,600 km of asphalt roads.
    • 13,700 villages electrified and 17,500 villages with drinking water supply systems.
• Challenges:
  • Inadequate market structure and land fragmentation hinder agricultural development.
  • Poor post-harvest infrastructure (e.g., refrigerated transport, storage, packaging) affects the international competitiveness of Iranian agricultural exports.
  • Low productivity and aging labor force are major concerns, with 21% of agricultural workers over 60 years old in 1995 compared to 7.5% in the entire economy.
  • Gender inequality persists in the agricultural labor force, with only 10% of the workforce being female, despite 6 million women participating in agricultural production.

4. Areas for Intervention

• Short-Term Recommendations:
  • Focus investment on institutional reforms and market mechanisms to improve the functioning of rural infrastructure.
  • Implement targeted programs for the rural poor.
• Medium to Long-Term Recommendations:
  • Pricing policy reform should consider the vulnerability of the poor.
  • Develop competitive agricultural and input markets, including cereal markets.
  • Establish a comprehensive and participatory agricultural strategy to align with market forces and national development goals.

5. Historical Background on Rural Society and Agrarian Structure

• Land Ownership: Land was historically divided into public, private, and religious endowments. The 1962 White Revolution introduced land reforms, including distribution of large holdings to peasants, elimination of sharecropping, and transformation of leases into ownership.
• Post-1979 Reforms: These reforms aimed to redistribute land to landless and small farmers, but many large landowners retained their property. This led to limited improvement in land equity and continued fragmentation.
• Farm Size Distribution: Farm sizes have been shifting over the decades, with small and medium holdings dominating the landscape. This trend has implications for productivity and efficiency.

6. Agricultural Policies and Growth

• Sector Composition: The crop sub-sector dominates agricultural GDP, with field crops and horticulture contributing 62–66.5% of the total. Livestock production has declined from 35% to 31% of agricultural GDP.
• Productivity Trends: Vegetables and fruits have seen substantial growth, while field crops have not. Poultry meat production has outpaced red meat production.
• Trade and Policy Constraints: Agricultural exports face unpredictability and unreliability due to inconsistent regulations, lack of sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards, and inadequate post-harvest infrastructure.

Conclusion

The report emphasizes the need for institutional reforms, market-oriented policies, and targeted investments to enhance agricultural productivity, market access, and poverty reduction in rural areas. It also highlights the importance of knowledge sharing and technical assistance in designing a comprehensive agricultural and rural development strategy for Iran's future.