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COMBATING WATER CRISIS Challenges & Opportunities. Mushtaq Ahmad Gill (T.I.) Executive Director. South Asian Conservation Agriculture Network (SACAN). http://www.sacanasia.org. PAKISTAN’S AGRICULTURE CHALLENGES. Low agricultural productivity Increasing population pressure
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COMBATING WATER CRISISChallenges & Opportunities Mushtaq Ahmad Gill (T.I.) Executive Director South Asian Conservation Agriculture Network (SACAN) http://www.sacanasia.org
PAKISTAN’S AGRICULTURE CHALLENGES • Low agricultural productivity • Increasing population pressure • Dwindling land for agriculture • Shrinking water resources • Limiting/diminishing energy resources • Shortage of electricity • High cost of diesel • High water losses in irrigation system • Over exploitation of groundwater
WATER CRISIS IN PAKISTAN (AFTER INDUS WATER TREATY- 1961) Deprivation from water of eastern rivers (20 MAF) Water logging, salinity & sodicity Increase in domestic and industrial requirement Deterioration of groundwater quality Increase in demand of irrigation water Persistent drought
ISSUES Cereal Requirement Status of Selected Countries by 2025 Deficit/Surplus (MMT)
ISSUES (Cont’d) 2006 150 CANAL DIVERSION (MAF) 103 1,200 m3
SHRINKING WATER RESOURCES PAKISTAN WATER BUDGET - INDUS BASIN IRRIGATION SYSTEM
OVER EXPLOITATION OF GROUNDWATER (Tubewells Growth) 957,916
OPTION • Productivity Enhancement in Canal and Non-Canal Command areas (marginal land and water conditions)and desert and semi desert areas through Water Saving Technologies and Practices in order to: • foster sustainable food security • improve livelihoods • reduce poverty • environment friendly agriculture
Water Saving Technologies ( For Desert and Arid Agriculture)
POTENTIAL DESERT AREAS Challenges and Issues • Scarcity of irrigation water • High cost of development of irrigation schemes • Colossal loss of land due Water and Wind erosion • Undulated topography • Limited infrastructural facilities • Heavy farm machinery requirements for traditional cultivation
DEVELOPMENT OF DESERT AGRICULTURE SUCCESS STORIES
CHALLENGES AND ISSUES • Scarcity of irrigation water • High cost of development of irrigation schemes • Colossal loss of land due water and wind erosion • Undulated topography • Prevailing poverty • Limited infrastructural facilities • Frequent weather/climate changes • Heavy farm machinery requirements for cultivation • Scattered and small holdings • Shortage of skilled and unskilled labour • Poor access to inputs
DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS • Supply of canal water to the desert/semi-desert areas • Establishment of mini dams, check dams, dugwells, lift irrigation schemes etc. • Construction and renovation of water storage ponds, underground tanks (Kunds), and Tobas by use of cost effective lining/layering materials (e.g. HDPE/plastic sheets etc.) • Adoption of Resource Conservation Technology • Use of alternative energy sources (solar and wind) powered pumps for conveyance of water from water storage tanks to fields by use of drip/sprinkler and Flexible Gated Pipes • Management of groundwater by treated, cyclic and conjunctive use
OngoingDevelopment Strategies • Construction of Large and Small Dams • Construction of New Canal Systems • Greater Thal Canal (GTC) - Punjab • Katchi Canal - Balochistan • Rainee Canal - Sindh • Chasma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) - KPK
WAY FORWARD • National Water Policy • Provincial Water Visions in Accordance with Post IWT Scenario 1961 – Indus Water Apportionment Accord 1991 (CBM’s) • Creation of Think tank ( Planning Commission, HEC, Universities, PEC, PSAE) for Water Resources Development and Management
WAY FORWARD (Cont’d) • Desert areas may be developed following the models of Alien (UAE), Sanai (Israel/Egypt), Ghobi (China), Rajasthan (India), and Dasht-e-Kavir (Iran) • Feasibility study and preparation of development projects for Conservation Agriculture may be carried-out through involvement of private sector (consultants/companies e.g. PSAE,SACAN etc.) • A body on the pattern of Thal Development Authority and Arid Land Development Authority, India may be constituted under the Supervision of Prime Minister at federal and CMs at provincial levels. • A project for development of 50,000 acres at Head, Tail and Middle of Thal desert, with main focus on GTC area, may be launched • Outsource the project implementation to the private sector following the example of Rajistan Development in India with full support from public sector
Resource Conserved Is A Resource Generated http://www.sacanasia.org THANKS