Ancient Qazvin Orchard System Receives Global Recognition from FAO in Rome

WANA (Nov 03) – In a landmark ceremony at the headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Iran’s Bāghestān-e Sonnati-ye Qazvin — the Traditional Orchard System of Qazvin — officially received its Global Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) certificate, marking its place among the world’s most enduring models of sustainable agriculture.

The award was presented to Mohammadreza Babouk, representing local orchardists from Qazvin, during FAO’s 80th anniversary celebration. The event was attended by senior FAO officials, environmental experts, and members of the Iranian NGO Hayat-e Shahr Development Association, who have championed the site’s recognition for over a decade.

“This certification is not just an honor; it’s a responsibility,” said Shokouh Kermanshahani, chair of the association. “The Qazvin Orchard System is a living organism — its survival depends on maintaining its ecological rhythm and sustainable land use.” She added that global registration opens new avenues for branding local produce and developing eco-agricultural tourism, which could boost both the local economy and environmental preservation.

A historic monument located in the Bāghestān of Qazvin, Iran. Social Media / WANA News Agency

The Qazvin orchards — spanning approximately 2,600 hectares around the ancient city — have been cultivated for more than a millennium using traditional flood irrigation methods that channel seasonal river flows into orchards of pistachio, almond, and grape. The system, sustained through centuries of droughts and wars, is a rare example of how indigenous knowledge can harmonize human livelihood with nature’s rhythm.

Experts from FAO’s GIAHS program described the site as “a living landscape shaped by collective wisdom.” The Qazvin system, they noted, fully meets GIAHS criteria: reliance on traditional water management, biodiversity preservation, and strong community-based governance. Before receiving certification, the site underwent an on-ground evaluation by GIAHS experts to verify its authenticity and resilience.

A thousand-year partnership with nature

Historical sources trace Qazvin’s foundation to Shapur I of the Sassanid Empire, nearly 1,800 years ago. Unlike many ancient cities built beside permanent rivers, Qazvin emerged in an arid plain, relying on qanats (underground aqueducts) and rain-fed systems. Over time, its residents created a vast green belt — the Bāghestān — that protected the city from floods, dust storms, and desertification.

Bāghestān of Qazvin, Iran. Social Media / WANA News Agency

“Beyond its beauty, the orchard belt is a natural shield,” said Mohammad Hossein Soleimani, a cultural heritage researcher from Qazvin. “It absorbs flash floods, filters air pollutants, and sustains biodiversity — acting as both the city’s lungs and its identity.”

The orchard’s ecological role remains vital today. Environmental studies indicate that the Bāghestān reduces urban temperatures by up to six degrees Celsius and helps recharge underground aquifers — an increasingly critical function amid Iran’s worsening water crisis.

From local tradition to global recognition

Iran now ranks fourth globally in the number of sites recognized by the FAO’s GIAHS program, with six traditional agricultural systems registered so far. Globally, 102 sites from 29 countries have earned the distinction, celebrating systems that balance productivity, biodiversity, and cultural continuity.

Bāghestān of Qazvin, Iran. Social Media WANA News Agency

Research shows that agricultural products labeled under the GIAHS scheme can sell for up to five times higher on international markets, offering economic incentives for conservation. For Qazvin’s orchardists, this could mean not just recognition, but revival.

The Bāghestān stands today as a living museum — one where 300- to 400-year-old pistachio trees still bear fruit, where floodwaters still nourish centuries-old soil, and where human hands continue an unbroken dialogue with the land.

As the FAO ceremony concluded, Babouk summed up the collective sentiment of Qazvin’s farmers: “This is not just a certificate for us — it is a promise to the generations who planted, protected, and passed this heritage to us. Now it’s our turn to keep it alive.”