MNA � The 24th session of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO 24) entitled �High-Level Discourse on Forests and Goals of Sustainable Development� kicked off in Rome, Italy in the presence of more than 120 countries including Iran.







The role of forests for food security and nutrition, inland and outsourced forestry, key role of forestry and objectives of sustainable development are among the main topics which will be discussed in this five-day meeting.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture�and Chairman of Iran Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization Khalil Aghaei, who heads the Iranian delegation at the international event, said that the Islamic Republic of Iran has launched a joint program with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

�We will hold separate meetings with Iranian officials and FAO directors with regard to forest, watershed management as well as combat desertification," he added.

The session is held with a focus on forests and objectives of sustainable development, he added.

The deputy minister then�pointed to the situation of Iranian forests and said, �Iran is home to about 14 million ha of forest areas, the most important of which are Zagros and Arasbaran forest areas.�

He further noted that some good measures have been taken for protection of forests in Iran.