COMBATING WATER CRISIS

Challenges & Opportunities

Mushtaq Ahmad Gill (T.I.)

Executive Director

South Asian Conservation Agriculture Network (SACAN)

http://www.sacanasia.org
 PAKISTANS 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)

25 22.1
18.7
20
15.3
15
10
5
-2.4 -1.6 -7.4 -11
0
ia

tan

i na
n

-5
h

a
na
Ira
es
Ind

ali
nti
Ch
k is
lad

s tr
ge
Pa

-10

Au
ng

Ar
Ba

-15
ISSUES (Contd)

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

Electricity,
128,823 (13%)

Diesel
829,093
(87%)
 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
Desert Province Area (MA)

Cholistan Punjab 6.4

Thal Punjab 5.7
Pachad/Hill Torrent areas Punjab & NWFP 0.6
(D.I. Khan, DG Khan,
Rajan Pur etc.)
Thar Sindh 10.6
Chagi-Kharan Balochistan 1.5

Others 3.0
Total 27.8
 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

Desert Crops Grown

Ghobi Desert, China Cotton & Tomato

Sanai Desert, Israel/Egypt Fruits & Vegetables

Alien Desert, UAE Fruits, Vegetables, Fodder

Rajistan Desert, India Fruits, Vegetables, Oil Seeds

Dasht-e-Kavir & Qir Qazim, Iran High Value Crops

 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

 Ongoing Development 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
GREATER THAL CANAL PROJECT
MAIN CANAL HEAD REGULATOR
MAIN CANAL
NURPUR Dy OF PHASE - I
TEMPORARY PIPE OUTLET
 WAY FORWARD
National Water Policy
Provincial Water Visions in Accordance with
Post IWT Scenario 1961 Indus Water
Apportionment Accord 1991 (CBMs)
Creation of Think tank ( Planning Commission,
HEC, Universities, PEC, PSAE) for Water
Resources Development and Management
 WAY FORWARD (Contd)

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

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