Lake Urmia is one of the world's most valuable wetlands, the unique habitat of the endemic Artemia urmiana, and one of the most important migratory bird corridors in Western Asia. The lake is a designated Ramsar Site, has an ecosystem management plan in place, and has been recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. Following decades of unbalanced agricultural development, increasing water demand, unsustainable water resource management, and the impacts of climate change, this unique ecosystem faced an unprecedented ecological crisis in the early 2010s. In response, the Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project (CIWP), with the support of the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched participatory programmes in villages surrounding the lake in 2014 to reduce competition for water in the agricultural sector while securing the environmental water requirements of the wetland.

Built on trust, capacity development, and the active participation of local communities, this approach has led to an approximately 30% reduction in irrigation water use in pilot farms and orchards while promoting sustainable agricultural practices. At the same time, the implementation of ecosystem- compatible livelihood diversification programmes—particularly through the empowerment of rural women—has created new income-generating opportunities and reduced the dependence of local livelihoods on water resources and the wetland ecosystem.

During 2025 and 2026, in addition to continuing sustainable agriculture and ecosystem-compatible livelihood programmes in 41 villages across East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan provinces, the project introduced a new approach aimed at strengthening the links between local products and economic activities and broader markets and value chains. In cooperation with the Technical and Vocational Training Organization of Iran (TVTO), more than 500 members of local communities participated in vocational skills training programmes, improving their access to new economic opportunities.

Although these interventions have so far reached less than one percent of the target communities within the Lake Urmia Basin, they have clearly demonstrated that the active participation of local communities can simultaneously contribute to ecosystem conservation, improved livelihoods, and sustainable development. Scaling up this approach across the Lake Urmia watershed and other wetlands throughout Iran remains a central objective of the Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project, supporting long-term sustainability and enhancing the resilience of both local communities and wetland ecosystems.