Ignoring the environment in the shadow of agricultural-based development and focus on food independence in the 1980s

In the 1360s/80s, the first decade of the Islamic Republic, not only were the foundations of this government established, but the foundations of various affairs were outlined and laid. The measures taken in this decade in various fields, including environmental protection, left a lasting impact and were practically considered as the foundation of planning and implementation in the following decades. Using a historical method, this article aims to show the place of the environment and its protection in development plans in the 1360s/ 1980s and the results of the most important actions of the government in this area. The research findings indicate that in this decade, agriculture was considered the central axis of development and a characteristic of independence. Efforts were made to rapidly develop the agricultural sector in order to reduce food dependency and achieve self-sufficiency in food production. As a result, agriculture and the use of water resources, especially groundwater, were given the most attention in government planning, and the environment was considered a marginal issue or ignored. Ignoring environmental protection meant that the problems and issues that had arisen during the Pahlavi era continued into this decade. The state of the environment in indicators such as water wastage, deforestation, degradation of rangelands, and soil erosion worsened, setting the stage for the start of an environmental crisis in Iran, especially after the imposed war.