Review of national efforts to manage drought and the capacity to face water crises

Iran has experienced continuous drought over the past two decades. Different measures have been implemented to respond this situation. The present research was undertaken to evaluate these measures, which can be classified as organizational, operational, research and technology, financial support and relief. The position of drought management in the five-year development plan is also examined. The measures have been evaluated and compared with similar experiences of other countries. The results show that, despite considerable effort, the nation has not been able to institute a relevant structure to cope with water scarcity and, as yet, there is no a national monitoring system. For demand management, the suggested measures have not undergone the necessary evaluation of their capacity to reduce water demand. In fact, some of the objectives for food security are inconsistent those of water security. It appears that national efforts to govern water use cannot adequately respond to drought and water crises should be expected in the future as a result of increasing water demand and climate change. Policies that address these deficiencies are urgently needed.