Transcript Document

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
• 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)
22.1
25
18.7
20
15.3
15
10
-15
ali
a
Au
s tr
Ar
ge
nti
na
Ch
i na
-11
tan
-7.4
Pa
k is
-10
-1.6
Ba
ng
lad
es
h
-5
Ind
ia
0
-2.4
Ira
n
5
ISSUES (Cont’d)
2006
103
1,200 m3
CANAL DIVERSION (MAF)
150
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
(D.I. Khan, DG Khan,
Rajan Pur etc.)
0.6
Thar
Sindh
10.6
Chagi-Kharan
Balochistan
1.5
Others
3.0
Total
27.8
POTENTIAL DESERT AREAS
Challenges and Issues
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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


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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
–
–
–
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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 (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-eKavir (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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