Saturday, June 1, 2019

Drip Irrigation: Can Pakistan Make its Deserts Bloom?

Large tracts of desert in Cholistan, Kharan and Thar land lay barren in Pakistan today. Can some parts of these deserts be made to bloom given the worsening water crisis in the country with per capita water availability approaching 900 cubic meters? How does Pakistan improve long term food security for its growing population? The answer to both lies in efficient water management through effective drip irrigation.

Drip Irrigation 

What is Drip Irrigation:

Drip irrigation is a micro-irrigation system using tubing that saves water and nutrients by allowing water to drip slowly into the roots of plants, either from above the soil surface or buried below the surface. It puts water directly into the roots and minimizes evaporation.

Water mixed with fertilizer is carried out through tubes which release a small amounts of water per minute directly to the roots of each plant. Precision watering cuts evaporation, run off, and waste.

More Crop Per Drop:

Agriculture uses over 90% of all available fresh water in Pakistan. "More crop per drop" program focuses on improving water use efficiency by promoting drip and sprinkler irrigation in agriculture in Pakistan.

The Punjab government started this effort with the World Bank with $250 million investment.  The World Bank is now providing additional $130 million financing for the Punjab Irrigated Agriculture Productivity Improvement Program Phase-I.

The project is the Punjab Government's initiative called High-Efficiency Irrigation Systems (HEIS) to more than doubles the efficiency of water use. Under the project, drip irrigation systems have been installed on about 26,000 acres, and 5,000 laser leveling units have been provided. The additional financing will ensure completion of 120,000 acres with ponds in saline areas and for rainwater harvesting, and filtration systems for drinking water where possible, according to the World Bank.

Cost of Drip Irrigation System:

Most crops are not irrigated with the drip method due to higher costs. In the United States and Spain, where the technology is used most, it comprises 6.75 and 2.75 percent of the total irrigated area, respectively, according to the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage. Farmers are offered subsidies to encourage the use of drip irrigation in most countries as a way of conserving precious water.

Subsidies in Punjab, Pakistan:

Punjab provincial government is subsidizing up to 60% of the cost of installing new drip irrigation systems, according to Business Recorder newspaper.  Director General Agriculture (Water Management) Malik Muhammad Akram said that latest irrigation techniques ensure availability of water and fertilizer in time to the plants and it also ensure uniform supply of these two major ingredients to all the plants in a field. It helps attaining more per acre yield with minimum agricultural inputs, he added, according to the paper.

There's at least one example of public-private partnership to promote drip irrigation in Sheikhupura near Lahore. The installation has been carried out by Nestlé Pakistan in collaboration with the Government of Punjab, covering 40% and 60% of the farmer’s cost respectively. The Agricultural Efficiency Project was initiated in the year 2017 and has so far covered 109 acres of land in 2018 with an estimated 280 million liters of water saved, according to a Nestle press release.

Using drip irrigation, farmers can save up to 95% of water and reduce fertilizer use, compared to surface irrigation, according to Malik Mohammad Akram. In flood irrigation – the traditional method of agriculture in the region – a farmer uses 412,000 liters per acre, while using drip irrigation the same land can be irrigated with just 232,000 liters of water, he explained to Zofeen Ibrahim of The Third Pole that covers Asia's water crisis.

Success Stories:

Writing for The Third Pole,  Zofeen Ebrahim has cited a couple of success stories of farmers receiving Punjab government's drip irrigation subsidies: The stories of ex IT Engineer Hasan Abdullah and Infiniti Agro and Livestock Farm.

Hasan Abdulla is has planted an orchard on his 40-acre plot in Cholistan Desert. He has orange, lemon olive trees which are now fruiting three years after planting. He is among the first farmers experimenting with drip irrigation.While Abdullah was saving water, the cost of diesel for running water pump was proving astronomical. It would have been difficult for Abdullah to continue farming with drip irrigation had the government not announced an 80% subsidy on solar power plants for farmers in 2018. He promptly took it up.

Asif Riaz Taj, who manages Infiniti Agro and Livestock Farm in Bahawalpur, heard of Abdulla's drip irrigation project and paid him a visit. He like it and decided to follow the example.  Now in their fourth year, the Infiniti orchards have started fruiting over 70 acres. But it will not be before its sixth year, Taj said, that they will “break even”. The drip irrigation and solar plant was installed at a cost of PKR 25 million (USD 174,000), and the monthly running cost of this farm is almost PKR 4 million (USD 28,000).

Summary:

Pakistan faces a severe water crisis that threatens the nation's long term food security.  The country needs to expand area under cultivation while efficiently managing its precious water resources. It needs to make parts of its deserts bloom. The best way to do it efficient water management through effective drip irrigation. Such projects are expensive to implement. The Punjab government is offering up to 60% subsidy to farmers to encourage wider use of drip irrigation.

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

South Asia Investor Review

Pakistan Water Crisis: Facts and Myths 

Groundwater Depletion in Pakistan

Water Scarce Pakistan

Cycles of Drought and Floods in Pakistan

Pakistan to Build Massive Dams

Dust Bowl in Thar Desert Region

Dasht River in Balochistan



32 comments:

Abid F. said...

I saw drip irrigation and white plastic sheets covering the veggie fields around Bahawalpur several years ago. At each subsequent visit I have seen more and more of this in that area.

I remember this whole area used to be a vast desert when I got married in the early 70’s. The whole area has been transformed into a very fertile land.

Rashid A. said...

Drip Irrigation is hot subject in Pakistan.

In a meeting last week with Pakistan Commercial Counsel, Pakistan is showing more interest in drip irrigation related technology transfer from US to Pakistan, particularly in the manufacturing side.

One of the issues that has stymied water conservation and water efficiency is the almost free water supplied from Irrigation canals. The cost of delivering water to the farm is high, but the price paid by farmers is nominal.

Just like anything else, if something is free, the incentive to save is very weak.

Riaz Haq said...

Drip Irrigation promises massive potential to save water
To Press Releases listFeb 4, 2019
Nestlé Waters Senior Vice President and Head of Technical, Peter Hagmann, inaugurated a site near Sheikhupura under Nestlé Pakistan’s Agricultural Efficiency Project. The project has the potential to help save 54 million liters of water annually.

https://www.nestle.pk/media/pressreleases/drip-irrigation

It is part of the company’s ‘Caring for Water’ initiative which undertakes collective approach to help address the water issue.

The water saving will be made possible by the installation of drip irrigation as opposed to flood irrigation which is the traditional way of irrigating fields in Pakistan. All over the world, around 70% of water is used in agriculture sector. In Pakistan, that percentage stands at 90%, with 50% wastage due to poor irrigation methods. In order to save water in agriculture and improve productivity, Nestlé Pakistan has fostered partnerships with the government and farmers to promote drip irrigation.

The installation has been carried out by Nestlé Pakistan in collaboration with the Government of Punjab, covering 40% and 60% of the farmer’s cost respectively. The Agricultural Efficiency Project was initiated in the year 2017 and has so far covered 109 acres of land in 2018 with an estimated 280 million litres of water saved.

At the inauguration ceremony, Peter Hagmann said, “Businesses in Pakistan need to realize the essence of being water conscious not only because of their survival but for the overall wellbeing of global ecosystems and economies. Nestlé Pakistan realizes the significance of taking a collective approach and working beyond the factory gates. With partners such as farmers, government, communities, academia and civil society, Nestlé Pakistan is taking collective actions to promote responsible use of water.”

Khurram Zia, Country Business Manager, Nestlé Waters, while sharing his views said, “The Agricultural Efficiency Project has massive potential of saving water by taking a step out of conventional farming. Water is a shared resource requiring every stakeholder’s ownership and participation to help tackle the issue. Nestlé’s vision towards water efficiency is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 and 12: clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production. Therefore, the company is devoted towards helping address the issue by encouraging all the stakeholders to be mindful of the utilization of water resources.”

Ahmad R said...

In absence of an effective co-op model, no farmers association able to raise a substantial holding enough to run on economy of scales - such subsidies will only benefit the rich landed gentry, with substantial land holding

Akbar S said...

Dear Riaz sahib 1.Pak uses 115 maf to produce 60 B$ agri prod. About 500 $/AF. 2.what is cost of water $100/AF. 3.What is world trend. 4. Since water consumption is for land area cultivated, why would there be shortage of water if cultivated area is not increasing.

Riaz Haq said...


Akbar: " why would there be shortage of water if cultivated area is not increasing"


Pakistan is adding area under cultivation to produce more food for its growing #population.

In fact, Pakistan is among fastest greening countries but it needs to better utilize #water in agriculture

http://www.riazhaq.com/2019/02/satellite-image-shows-pakistan-among.html

Shakib, KP said...

Pakistan is "greening", but unlike China and India it is due to rapid clearance of forests and replanting them with cash crops with intensive use of freshwater use - per the Boston University Study published in February 2019.

FOREST AREA 1990-2016 PER CENT OF TOTAL LAND AREA
*China's forest area grew from 16.738 to 22.354.
*India's forest area grew from 21.505 to 23.833.
*Pakistan forest area DECLINED from 3.278 to 1.854.

When forests decline, erosion of top soil increases and risk of flooding and runoff multiplies. The end result is fresh groundwater is not replenished.

Pakistan has to stop clearing it's forests, but current and past policies have become ineffectual.

Riaz Haq said...

RAINFALL last year and this monsoon has filled Darawat Dam to a level where water flows could be released for irrigating the command area spread over 25,000 acres.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1350114


Since this command area is not connected with off-taking canal of the dam through watercourses, an ad-hoc arrangement has been made to ensure water supply at least to small farmers to enable them cultivate winter and summer crops. Farmers are using pipes to lift water downstream of the dam.

The dam, a federally funded project, was completed in August 2014 by a Chinese company. Its construction started during the previous government’s tenure in January 2010. It is located some 135 kilometres north-east of Karachi and 70km west of Hyderabad, and is built on Nai Baran, a hill torrent in Jamshoro district.

Spread over 10,500 acres, the dam’s reservoir area upstream lies in Jamshoro district with a storage capacity of 121,600 acre-feet.

At present, 33,000 acre-feet of water is available in the reservoir. The level, which was 50,800 acre-feet in August 2016, has dropped after flows were ensured for cultivation of onion and wheat crops during the last year. Presently, farmers are getting water for cotton and vegetable sowing.

Zahid Sheikh, superintending engineer at the Sindh irrigation department, says a study on the topography of the dam’s command area is under way to assess which kind of high efficiency system — sprinkler or drip — suits this rain-fed area considering the fact how water travels in the hilly terrain.

The irrigation department does not seem to take control of the dam even by early next year as it lacks expertise, officials say

While the Sindh government has to build an irrigation system, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) is also in the process of bidding two pilot projects on 10 acres each to be connected with drip and sprinkler systems on farmers’ land to see results of per-acre productivity.

The dam’s project director, Iqbal Sheikh, says bidding is already under way for this purpose but it is not part of the whole project which stands completed. The pilot projects would be completed in one and a half years and would be monitored by Wapda.

The project is reported have hit by cost overruns, and Wapda is seeking a second revision of its PC-I, a project document which covers almost all aspects of the project.

The first revision of the PC-I was approved at Rs9.3 billion by the federal government after it was conceived at Rs3.175bn in September 2009. PC-I would now be revised at Rs11.67bn by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council.

An amount of Rs6.37 billion has been paid to the dam’s Chinese contractor whose liabilities have now accumulated. Sources say the federal government has earmarked Rs800m for the project under the current fiscal year’s Public Sector Development Programme.

Wapda has set up 73 outlets with a main line canal and three distributaries that can irrigate 25,000 acres on the right and left banks of the canal that has a designed discharge of 156 cubic feet per second (cusecs) and stretches over nearly 46km.

The entire command area is to be connected with watercourses to be built by the irrigation department. Smallholders say that with the current storage they are able to grow wheat and onion since October 2016.

Dasrat Kumar, a farmer of the area, says that presently more than 1,500 acres of land is being cultivated and the farmers’ produce finds its way to Karachi, mostly through the middleman as farmers get payment in advance to buy inputs.

Another elderly farmer, Noor Ahmed, says that the “rate of evaporation and water losses remains very high as our land in this hilly tract remains dry most of the year”.

Riaz Haq said...


As water disappears, parched southern Pakistan farmers march north

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-water-protests/as-water-disappears-parched-southern-pakistan-farmers-march-north-idUSKCN1U31YM

As shopkeeper Ali Akbar went to open his store last week along the main street of Thatta, in Pakistan’s Sindh province, he found himself wading through a sea of people who had blocked the road, causing an enormous traffic jam.

It wasn’t a political rally – the normal cause of such crowds. It was people without water.

“They were demanding the government declare a water emergency and resolve their woes on a war footing,” Akbar told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a telephone call. “It was extremely hot, but they remained resolute.”

Over a week, the people had walked 140 km (85 miles) from the Indus delta region, desperate to find an answer to worsening water shortages and land losses to erosion in their home villages.

Zuhaib Ahmed Pirzada, a young environmental activist from Thatta, said an original 50 or so marchers from the area around Kharo Chan – where the delta meets the Arabian Sea - were joined by others as they marched north.

By the time the crowd reached Thatta, there were 1,500 marchers.

Tanzeela Qambrani, a legislator from Badin district, in southern Sindh province, said the region has seen the “slow death” of the delta for many years.

Water expert Simi Kamal, who works at the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and started a foundation focused on water and food security, said the spread of large-scale irrigation along the Indus River is partially to blame for less water reaching the delta.

But she said “mismanagement” of water, including wasteful flood irrigation and failure to leave enough water in systems to support nature, played a far bigger role.

“Together these have been catastrophic for the environment as well as the local population,” she said, predicting that a shifting climate would only make the problem worse.

LOWER FLOW
The Indus is a water lifeline for over 200 million Pakistanis, about 50 million of them near the river’s end in Sindh, according to the U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water and other agencies.


A report by environmental and development group Lead Pakistan said that as demands on the Indus’ water grow, the delta is receiving less than a third of the water it needs.

The flow is also less than what it is due under a 1991 water sharing accord among Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, the report said.

Khalid Hyder Memon, a former irrigation department official in the Sindh provincial government, said he felt Punjab province, upstream, was “stealing” water that should be Sindh’s share.

He said repeated protests and requests over the last two years for a water audit by an independent body had not yet been acted on by the Indus River System Authority, which monitors water distribution and sharing.

“An audit would establish how much water there is in the system and how much is released to each province,” said Memon, who worked on irrigation issues for 37 years.



But Usman Tanveer, deputy commissioner of Thatta, said recent shortages of water in Sindh were in part the result of cool June temperatures in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Skardu district, with less snowmelt coming from the foothills of the Karakoram mountains.

“It takes between 17 to 25 days for the water from Skardu to reach us. The unprecedented and persistent low temperatures delayed snow melt and created havoc for us,” he explained.

Qambrani said the Sindh government needs to show “seriousness” in dealing with growing water threats as climate pressures become the new normal, and as sea level rise and less water and sediment flowing down the Indus erodes delta land.

Riaz Haq said...

#Pakistan Agriculture Research Council with #Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company’s (SECMC) Thar Foundation in Tharparkar set to turn barren #Tharparkar #desert #green. It has huge reserves of #groundwater estimated at 80 billion cubic meters. #coal https://tribune.com.pk/story/1905021/1-parc-set-turn-barren-tharparkar-desert-green/

For the barren desert of Tharparkar, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) appears set to embark on an ambitious project of growing cash crops and fruit orchards. The council in this regard entered into an agreement on Wednesday with the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company’s (SECMC) Thar Foundation in Tharparkar.

Cultivating cash crops and fruit trees, modifying seeds and fodder, reducing salinity and developing multi-directional commercial value chains, that involve livestock, are the objectives. The two partners will also carry out an analysis and undertake pre-emptive remedy against land degradation caused by salinity.


PARC will also station supervisors on-ground who will be available to supervise designated bio-saline projects, which have been initiated by the foundation. The two organisations will also conduct a feasibility study on installing domestic biogas units modelled on the utilisation of animal waste as fuel.

PARC Chairperson Dr Yusuf Zafar said that their supreme objective was to eliminate drought in the region. He said that the council would replicate successful models in Tharparkar which were implemented by the Arid Zone Research Institute in the neighbouring Umerkot district.

Syed Murtaza Azhar Rizvi of Thar Foundation said that the desert was blessed with huge reserves of groundwater, which are estimated at around 80 billion cubic meters. The subsoil water, he added, can be pumped out to make Tharparkar district rich in agriculture.

For the project, the foundation is providing 20 acres of land for the execution of a pilot project. The provision of the required resources including water, seeds and saplings will also be the foundation’s onus.

Riaz Haq said...

#AkiraMiyawaki style forest by @SECMC_Thar
. The #MillionTree project seems to be taking shape with Neem, Kandi, Kekar etc. 80% of the 85,000 plants survived, many already 6 ft tall in just a year!

Tweet by Zofeen Ebrahim

Eng. Muhammad Imran said...

Dear All,

We have started manufacturing factory for Drip Irrigation pipe ( with inside dripper / 2L, 4L, 8L per hr). Very easy installation / farmer can do there self. We wish to support farmer / contractor for Green Pakistan. Can get lower cost from direct manufacturer.

Regards,

Eng. Muhammad Imran
www.mahar.com.pk
info@mahar.com.pk

Eng. Muhammad Imran said...

Dear All,

We have started manufacturing factory for Drip Irrigation pipe ( with inside dripper / 2L, 4L, 8L per hr). Very easy installation / farmer can do there self. We wish to support farmer / contractor for Green Pakistan. Can get lower cost from direct manufacturer.

Regards,

Eng. Muhammad Imran
www.mahar.com.pk
info@mahar.com.pk

Riaz Haq said...

Use of greenhouses and other modern cultivation techniques helping increase #fruits and #vegetables production in #Faisalabad, #Pakistan. Use of drip #irrigation saving precious #water. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2060545/1-seeds-change-greenhouse-step-towards-sustainable-agriculture/


Innovation is contagious and more so if it contributes to productivity and output. Even while much of Pakistan is far behind in the race for newer and efficient ways to produce fresh fruit and vegetables, a farm in Faisalabad is making significant gains.

A farm owner in Pakistan’s textile hub is trying the latest tricks of the trade to cultivate crops throughout the year.

“We have imported machinery from Turkey to build the state-of-the-art greenhouses in Faisalabad,” said Waseem Afzal.
His sprawling farm sits on 25 acres, and he is willing to experiment with the land. Much of Afzal’s produce ends up selling in his stores in Lahore and other urban locations.

According to the experts, greenhouses provide a controlled environment, which allows vegetables and fruits to grow year-round.

The use of greenhouses and other modern cultivation techniques have helped Afzal increase his produce. He introduced drip irrigation to his farms, among other tweaks to traditional practices.
Relatively inexpensive and easy to install, the drip irrigation system helps maximize plant health due to the reduced moisture levels.

Afzal said drip irrigation helps him save more than 50% water. Listing the benefits of using greenhouses, the farm owner said the crops come out sturdier.
Through the greenhouses, Afzal has successfully been able to cultivate a wide variety of crops. These include wheat, cucumber, zucchini, and tomatoes all year round and against all the weather related challenges.

“Greenhouses are playing a very important role in countries like the Netherlands, Israel, and India,” said Afzal, a strong proponent of new agricultural techniques.

“The future of agriculture in Pakistan is greenhouses,” he added. “Crops are allowed to grow in a controlled environment in such facilities, which limits the chances of damage,” he explained.

According to experts, farmers who experiment with techniques like tunnel farming would also be able to boost their yield. Tunnel farming operates on the principle of creating summer-like conditions during winter. It allows farmers to cultivate these vegetables during winter, making them available throughout the year.

Afzal believes such techniques would prevent the shortage of vegetables and make the country self-sufficient.

Commenting on the use of greenhouses and other cost-effective ways to cultivate, Punjab Agriculture Department Director General Dr Anjum Ali said: “Such techniques allow us to produce vegetables and other crops free from the fear of pesticides.”

“Producing our crops in a controlled environment makes them more desirable in the international market,” he added.

According to Dr Ali, farmers, who employ drip irrigation, and greenhouse techniques, receive subsidies from the government.

Riaz Haq said...

Dubai scientists grow super crops that thrive in salty deserts
28TH FEBRUARY 2019

BY: , BLOOMBERG

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Scientists in Dubai are developing crops like quinoa that can thrive in the salty soils intruding into the world’s croplands. Winning over enough people to eat them is proving a greater challenge.

At an experimental farm within sight of the world’s tallest skyscraper, researchers at the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture are trying to help farmers in the Middle East and beyond earn a living from unlikely plants known as halophytes. These plants, from trendy quinoa to obscure salicornia, flourish in salty and arid environments where staple crops like wheat or rice would wither.

Concerns about climate change, population growth, and the degradation of fertile farmlands add urgency to the work of ICBA, which runs on a shoestring budget of $15-million a year. The United Nations estimates that food production must increase 60 percent in thirty years to meet demand, while gains in crop yields are slowing.

“You can see the disaster coming. I can’t understand why more people aren’t acting to prevent it,” says Ismahane Elouafi, ICBA’s director general. Governments are reluctant to invest in new foods and remain tethered to staple crops that “are just too demanding on water.”


https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/dubai-scientists-grow-super-crops-that-thrive-in-salty-deserts-2019-02-28

Riaz Haq said...

Biosaline Agriculture in Pakistan

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228456411_Biosaline_agriculture_in_Pakistan

Fresh water resources are under severe pressure along with the agricultural irrigation system which suffers from a steady increase in salinity. In order to maintain good supply of water for human consumption and for agriculture, efforts should be made to find alternate source of water and utilization of saline land for economic benefits. A number of halophytes could be used as cash crop (forage, fodder, fuel, medicine, chemicals, ornamentals etc). Pakistan spans a distance of 1,600 kilometers from the Arabian Sea to plains and prairies, the playas of temperate northern mountains across deserts, covering an area of 800,000 square kilometers. The varied climatic conditions have resulted in a rich diversity of flora including halophytes. Compared to the total 2500 species reported worldwide, Pakistan alone has about 410 halophytes and 178 of them have not been reported before. The efforts made to combat salinity and utilization of halophytes as cash-crop in Pakistan would be discussed.

Riaz Haq said...

Sindh CM Murad inaugurates Kalidas Dam in Nagarparkar

https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/10/28/cm-murad-inaugurates-kalidas-dam-in-nagarparkar/

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Murad Ali Shah said, “The dam has a storage capacity up to 1,012.3 acre feet while its height is 13 feet. It was constructed at the catchment area of Karoonjhar Mountains that are feasible for small dams. The dam has been constructed at a cost of Rs333 million.”

Shah said that the provincial government has completed the construction of 23 small dams, while the plan for building more 26 dams has also been finalised.

“After the construction these dams, approximately 80,000 acres of land will be made fertile.”

The chief minister said that the people of Nagarparkar and its suburban villages will get clean drinking water after the construction of Kalidas Dam.

“The mountainous region of Karoonjhar is 400 square kilometres wide and it receives an average of 13-inch rain during the monsoon season which provides a total of 111,000 acre feet of water. Kalidas Dam will reduce the water scarcity in the Nagarparkar area,” he added.

Riaz Haq said...

Small dams, a harbinger of resolving Pakistan’s water woes


https://thefrontierpost.com/small-dams-a-harbinger-of-resolving-pakistans-water-woes/#:~:text=The%20small%20dams%20are%20only,of%20natural%20disasters%2C%20he%20said.

Known as the home of longest River Indus (3180km) in Asia, Pakistan is a unique country with plenty of small and big rivers gifted with natural sites for construction of more dams to address the longstanding water woes of the country.

The country has more than 24 big and small rivers including five in Punjab, four in Sindh, eight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and seven in Balochistan had numerous suitable natural sites for construction of small, medium and big dams to fulfill the growing water needs of the people.

Pakistan is also the home of rivers Chanab, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlaj and Beas in Punjab, Kabul, Swat, Punjkora, Kunhar, Bara, Kurram, Haroo, Gomal, Chitral in KP, Nari, Bolan, Pishin, Lara, Mula, Hub, Zhob, Porali, Hangol, Rakshan, Dasht in Balochistan and four rivers in Sindh province.

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These rivers are endowed with a number of potential sites at Diamir Bhasa, Dasu Kohistan, Kalabagh on River Sindh, Mohamad and Kalam on River Swat, Shalman Khyber on River Kabul, Tangi on River Kurram in North Waziristan, Kaghan-Naran on River Kunhar for construction of water reservoirs.

Despite having enormous water potential, Pakistan is gradually moving towards water-scared country where most of living creatures including humans, animals, plants, wildlife, mammals and reptiles are facing the looming threats of water scarcity.

The National Water Policy (NWP) 2018 has revealed that Pakistan was heading towards a situation of water shortage due to lack of water reservoirs, which may lead to food insecurity for all living creatures by 2025.

The policy disclosed that per capita surface water availability has significantly declined from 5,260 cubic meters per year in 1951 to around 1,000 cubic meters in 2016.

This quantity is likely to further drop to 860 cubic meters by 2025, marking Pakistan’s transition from a water stressed country to a water scarce country.

The groundwater situation is expected to further drop in the country mostly in Punjab and Sindh where one million tube-wells are currently pumping about 55 million acres feet (MAF) of underground water for irrigation, which is 20pc more than that available from canals.

Talking to APP, former Ambassador of Pakistan Manzoorul Haq said, “the policy’s findings are alarming. We need to swiftly shift our approach from construction of big dams to small dams that can prove harbinger of self-sufficiency in food and increasing exports of agro-based industries.”

He said water resources were inextricably linked with climate and the impending climate change scenario has posed serious implications for Pakistan’s water resources.

The changing and unpredictable precipitation patterns may have serious consequences, including flash floods in north and increasingly prolonged droughts in the south, he added.

Manzoorul Haq said that the glaciers retreat, more glacial lakes will form, increasing the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) that is already becoming increasingly common and hazardous in northern parts of the country.

The small dams are only remedy to store flood and rainy water mostly in arid areas like Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Kohat, DI Khan, DG Khan, Bhakkar, Bahawalpur, Multan, Tharparkar besides merged areas of erstwhile Fata to bring maximum dry land under cultivation and minimize impact of natural disasters, he said.

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He said 46,000 dams have been constructed worldwide whereas China has built 22,000 dams and India 4,500 dams.

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Mujahid Saeed, Director General Small Dams Irrigation Department said feasibility studies and designs of 26 small dams having 166,282 cultivable command area and 555,103 acres feet storage capacity, has been either completed or practical work in progress in different districts of KP.

Riaz Haq said...

Domestic and foreign investors have started showing interest in oil palm farming following satisfactory results from trial production of the oil palm fruit in Thatta.
Besides a domestic edible oil company, a delegation of local traders and the Malaysian embassy visited a 50-acre oil palm fruit orchard in Kathore, Thatta to assess quality of the fruit and suitability of soil.
The delegation along with Sindh Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development (ECCCD) Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghauri also visited a palm oil producing mill set up by the provincial government and inspected its production process, said an ECCCD spokesperson on Monday.
“Expressing satisfaction over the quality and production environment in the region, officials were of the view that it provided excellent investment opportunities for oil palm cultivation and palm oil production, which should be fully utilised by the global and local business communities,” he said.
On the occasion, the secretary told the delegation that Sindh had crossed an important milestone through successful experimentation with oil palm cultivation.
He said that the project would play a key role in prosperity of Pakistan and meet domestic demand for palm oil to a great extent.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2276889/oil-palm-farming-attracts-investors

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Edible oil including soybean and palm into the country during first four months of current financial year increased by 42.99% and 30.57% respectively as compared the exports of the corresponding period of last year.

During the period from July to October 2020-21, about 72,631 metric tons of soybeans costing $48.168 million imported as against the import of 48, 489 metric tons valuing $33.687 million of same period of last year.

According the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, during the period under review about 1,049,134 metric tons of palm oil worth of $661.445 million imported as against the import of 929,331 metric tons valuing $506.586 million of same period last year.

During the period under review imports of palm oil into the country witnessed about 30.

57% increase as against the imports of the same period of last year, it added.

It is worth mentioning here that in last four months of current financial year food group imports into the country grew by 43.49 percent as different food commodities costing $2.272 billion imported as against the imports of 1.583 billion of the same period of last year.

On the other hand, food group exports from the country during the period review went down by 16.77 percent as it was recorded at $1.331 billion from July-October, 2020 as compared to $1.359 billion of the corresponding period of last year.

On month on month basis, the exports of food commodities post 13.42 percent reduction in month of October, 2020 as compared the same month of last year, whereas imports into the country during the period under review grew by 15.14 percent


https://www.urdupoint.com/en/business/edible-oil-including-soybean-palm-imports-gr-1100618.html

Riaz Haq said...

Dietary fats are essential to give your body energy and to support cell growth. They also help protect your organs and help keep your body warm. Fats help your body absorb some nutrients and produce important hormones, too. Your body definitely needs fat.

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/dietary-fats

Eating foods with fat is definitely part of a healthy diet. Just remember to choose foods that provide good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) and balance the amount of calories you eat from all foods with the amount of calories you burn. Aim to eat a dietary pattern that emphasizes intake of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains; includes low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish, legumes, non-tropical vegetable oils and nuts; and limits intake of sodium, sweets, sugar sweetened beverages and red meats. Doing so means that your diet will be low in both saturated fats and trans fats.

Riaz Haq said...

Cargill acquires minority stake in FAP’s terminal at Port Qasim
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/755755-cargill-acquires-minority-stake-in-fap-s-terminal-at-port-qasim

Global commodities trader Cargill Inc had bought a minority stake in Fauji Akbar Portia Marine Terminal Limited (FAP), Pakistan’s one of the largest bulk terminal, which handles agricultural supplies in the country, a statement said on Tuesday.

The deal is privately held US-based Cargill’s first investment into Pakistan, after the strategic intent announced in last January.

With this investment, Cargill will handle grains, cereals, rice, oilseeds and fertilizers at Port Qasim.

Waqar Malik, chairman Fauji Foundation said this transaction is a signal and validation of the Pakistan opportunity seen by the world’s leading player in agriculture commodities.

“With its global port experience, Cargill will help drive greater operational efficiencies for the port to reach its potential of handling agri-cargo safely and efficiently,” Malik said.

He added that Cargill, with its global port experience, will help drive greater operational efficiencies for the port to reach its potential of handling agri-cargo safely and efficiently.

“Going forward, both partners aim to build a safety culture that will create a world class, safe and sustainable environment for FAP’s employees and customers.”

Imran Nasrullah, country president, Cargill Pakistan said the investment would further adds to the company’s global port operation’s footprint and strengthens its agricultural trading and supply chain operations in the region.

“In future we will also look at opening doors for other sectors where we can add value, besides exploring business synergies with our existing partners,” Nasrullah said.

He said the investment also demonstrate Cargill “commitment to partner in the economic growth of Pakistan by bringing in our global expertise and investment”.

FAP is a joint venture between Fauji Foundation, Akbar Group of Companies and National Bank of Pakistan. FAP started operations in 2010 and provides complete supply chain management solutions for ship berthing, unloading, storage and bagging of all types of grains, cereals, oilseeds and fertilizers. The terminal operates with international standards and has helped build efficiencies in dry cargo handling in Pakistan.

The statement said Fauji Foundation, through this partnership with the world’s leading agriculture company, will transform FAP’s supply chain to enhance overall value for all stakeholders including suppliers, customers, employees and shareholders.





Riaz Haq said...

Pakistan to become full member of International Olive Council
https://www.dawn.com/news/1653307


Olive development programme is expected to receive grants from the council
----------

The Inter­national Olive Council (IOC) has decided to admit Pakistan as its full member, saying the country contains huge potential of producing olive oil not only for domestic consumption but also for export.

Pakistan is currently an associate member of the IOC which is an intergovernmental organisation of states that produce olives or products derived from olives such as oil.

IOC’s Executive Director Abdellatif Ghedira is currently on a visit to Pakistan on a request of the Pakistan Oil Seeds Development Board.

Speaking to media here on Thursday after visiting olive farms and reviewing the potential of olive oil production in Pakistan with the government and research scientists, Mr Ghedira said Pakistan was now well placed to join the council as its full member.

The full membership of Pakistan will lead to strengthen international cooperation and bring the Pakistani olive oil sector closer to the council and promote the application of IOC standards in the world markets.

Pakistan’s olive development programme is expected to receive grants from the council which finances national programmes of member countries on an annual basis.

Mr Ghedira ended his visit to Pakistan on a satisfying note that the government has embarked on a massive project to promote the olive oil sector since it has suitable climate to plant varieties of olives.

He said the council would support Pakistan to secure certification as the country had standard processing plants and research laboratories.

Currently, Pakistan has 3.6 million olive plants over an area of 31,000 acres of land, and plans are underway to grow 10m more plants over 75,000 acres of land.

Balochistan has been considered as highly promising province for the cultivation of olive plants.

The IOC brings together olive oil and table olive producing and consuming stakeholders. It is the world’s only international intergovernmental organisation in the field of olive oil and table olives. The council currently has 17 state members in addition to the European Union. These states account for over 98 per cent of the world’s oil production.

Riaz Haq said...

With help of drip irrigation, sprinklers and shading fabric, it is the first ginger farming project that turned out commercially successful.

https://www.app.com.pk/national/sania-inaugurates-first-ever-ginger-harvest-in-pakistan/

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar on Sunday inaugurated the first ever ginger cultivation during the Ginger Harvest Workshop held in Balkasar area of Chakwal. The harvest celebration was organized by Agrionics Farms.

This was the first ginger harvest piloted in Pakistan. The crop was grown in eleven months. Being an essential ingredient of Pakistani cuisine, ginger is high in demand, but unfortunately it is not grown here, and all the crop is imported to meet the domestic needs.

At the event, participants learnt from experts about the sustainable production and management of ginger and how to properly harvest this crop.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sania said, “Ginger can emerge as a major crop and can be a game-changer for the farming community. Agriculture is profoundly linked to poverty alleviation in Pakistan. Government, private sector, research institutions, innovators and farmers can work together to build synergies and develop agri-value chains. This will lead to greater impact for poverty alleviation, livelihoods creation, economic growth and foreign trade boosting.”

Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Muhammad Najeebullah, Director Vegetable Research Institute, Faisalabad and other experts were also present on the occasion.

Participants were provided with information on how to successfully grow and harvest ginger in the country.

Experts presented research-based information about the agricultural benefits of growing ginger locally.

After knowledge-sharing, all participants went to the field for the formal inauguration and demonstrations.

Chairman PARC briefed Dr. Sania on the success of the ginger cultivation project and its potential to boost Pakistan’s farming sector. “This variety of ginger has been successfully grown and field tested and can yield up to approximately 8 to 10 tonnes per acre in this area” he said.

Other experts shared that Pakistan is an agri economy field to progress as it shall be but now it has started its journey towards self-sustainability.

With help of drip irrigation, sprinklers and shading fabric, it is the first ginger farming project that turned out commercially successful.

Riaz Haq said...

Replacing full-fat #dairy with #olive oil may reduce your risk of #diseases, including #Alzheimer, #heart & #cancer, and death by 34%. The study analyzed the #diets of people enrolled in two large #US government-funded studies at #Harvard Public Health. https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/10/health/olive-oil-benefits-wellness/index.html

Using olive oil instead of margarine, butter or other saturated fats may protect you from dying from cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, dementia, and other conditions, according to a study released Monday.

"It's a combination of both decreasing the amount of saturated fat at the same time you're increasing the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil," said Dr. Howard LeWine, the chief medical editor of Harvard Health Publishing, part of Harvard Medical School.
"The takeaway is to use olive oil every time you can as a substitute for saturated fats when you're cooking or in your salad dressings," said LeWine, who was not involved in the study.

The study analyzed the diets of people enrolled in two large government-funded studies: the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Researchers then compared the diet findings to disease and death records for those people over time.
Men and women who replaced just over 2 teaspoons (10 grams) of margarine, butter, mayonnaise or dairy fat with the same amount of olive oil had up to a 34% lower overall risk of dying than people who ate little to no olive oil, according to study author Marta Guasch-Ferre, a senior research scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
"This is the first long-term study, including more than 90,000 participants followed for up to 30 years, conducted in the American population on olive oil and mortality. Previous studies were conducted in Mediterranean and European populations where the consumption of olive oil tends to be higher," Guasch-Ferre said via email.

"Our results provide further support for recommendations to replace saturated fat and animal fat with unsaturated plant oils, such as olive oil, for the prevention of premature death," she added.
People who reported eating the highest levels of olive oil had a 19% lower risk of dying from heart conditions, a 17% lower risk of dying from cancer, a 29% lower risk of dying from neurodegenerative disease, and an 18% lower risk of dying from respiratory disease mortality compared with those who never or rarely consumed olive oil in place of saturated fats, said Susanna Larsson, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, in an accompanying editorial.
Both the study and editorial were published Monday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The connection between olive oil and fewer deaths from brain disease was "novel," Larsson wrote. "Considering the lack of preventive strategies for Alzheimer's disease and the high morbidity and mortality related to this disease, this finding, if confirmed, is of great public health importance."

Riaz Haq said...

The Pakistan Honey Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.41% in the forecast period, 2023-2027, to reach USD451.77 million by 2027.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/03/16/2404413/0/en/Pakistan-Honey-Markets-2016-2022-2023-2027.html

Changing consumer preference towards consumption of healthier sugar substitutes and natural sweeteners and the health benefits of honey, including the presence of anti-cancer agents, are the primary factors driving the growth of the Pakistan Honey Market.

Also, the increased demand from the cosmetics and personal care industry and ongoing adoption of advanced beekeeping techniques by the market players are the other factors that are expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for the Pakistan Honey Market in the forecast period.

Consumers are becoming health-conscious and aware of the health-damaging properties of sugar and artificial sweeteners, which have created the demand for natural sweeteners. Honey can be used as an excellent substitute instead of white sugar, and it provides several health benefits to the consumer.

Honey also has anti-fungal, antibacterial, and anti-viral properties and, therefore, is considered an effective medicine to treat cough, cold, and throat infections. Also, favorable government initiatives such as the "Billion Tree Honey Initiative" and plantation of trees to boost the local bee population and honey production are expected to fuel the growth of the Pakistan Honey Market in the forecast period.

The Pakistan Honey Market can be segmented into product, type, pack size, packaging, distribution channel, application, regional distribution, and company. Based on the product, the market is bifurcated into natural/organic honey v/s processed honey.

Natural/organic honey is leading the market with a market share of 82.26%, and is expected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Natural/organic honey is preferred over its counterpart as it has enhanced antioxidant properties and can be stored for a longer duration.

Major market players operating in the Pakistan Honey Market

Natural Swat Bee Honey
Simply the Great Food
Forest Honey
Shifaheillahi Natural Honey
Nature's Store
My Honey
Organic Honey
Sunbulah Group (Al-Shifa Honey)
Buzzin Beez
Pakeeza Honey Center
Report Scope:

Years considered for this report:

Historical Years: 2017-2020
Base Year: 2021
Estimated Year: 2022
Forecast Period: 2023-2027
Pakistan Honey Market, By Product:

Natural/Organic Honey
Processed Honey
Pakistan Honey Market, By Type:

Acacia
Sidr
Orange Blossom
Ajwain
Clover
Others
Pakistan Honey Market, By Pack Size:

500gm
1000gm and Above
200-250gm
Pakistan Honey Market, By Packaging:

Jar
Bottles
Pouch
Others
Pakistan Honey Market, By Distribution Channel:

Supermarket/Hypermarket
Convenience Stores
Online
Others
Pakistan Honey Market, By Application:

Food & Beverage
Personal Care and Cosmetics
Pharmaceuticals
Others
Pakistan Honey Market, By Region:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Punjab
Sindh
Others
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1ndlma

Riaz Haq said...

Alishba Farrukh ⚯͛
@bubblesays
Pakistan has the world's fourth-highest rate of water use. Its water intensity rate — the amount of water, in cubic meters, used per unit of GDP — is the world's highest. This suggests that no country's economy is more water-intensive than Pakistan's. 1/n

https://twitter.com/bubblesays/status/1522195266933305345?s=20&t=YJvQFn8WZuSTKbNkcPfGcA

-------


Alishba Farrukh ⚯͛
@bubblesays
·
6h
Replying to
@bubblesays
According to the IMF, Pakistan's per capita annual water availability is 1,017 cubic meters — perilously close to the scarcity threshold of 1,000 cubic meters. Back in 2009, Pakistan's water availability was about 1,500 cubic meters.2/n

https://twitter.com/bubblesays/status/1522195653241319425?s=20&t=YJvQFn8WZuSTKbNkcPfGcA


-------------


Alishba Farrukh ⚯͛
@bubblesays
Pakistan is approaching the scarcity threshold for water. What is even more disturbing is that groundwater supplies are being rapidly depleted. And worst of all is that the authorities have given no indication that they plan to do anything about any of this. 3/n

https://twitter.com/bubblesays/status/1522198066169798659?s=20&t=YJvQFn8WZuSTKbNkcPfGcA

---------------



Alishba Farrukh ⚯͛
@bubblesays
Pakistan may face a water shortage of 22-30% for six months starting from April 1 to September 30 during the Kharif season 2022.


https://twitter.com/bubblesays/status/1522198262043877378?s=20&t=YJvQFn8WZuSTKbNkcPfGcA


---------


Alishba Farrukh ⚯͛
@bubblesays
In 2025 Pakistan may face an acute water crisis. To avoid this outcome Islamabad must work dedicatedly on National Water Security, and plantation dives to protect and conserve natural climate. The problem is not due to water availability but the mismanagement of water

Riaz Haq said...

Pakistan Set to Become Olive Council Member

https://www.oliveoiltimes.com/business/pakistan-to-become-olive-council-member/105121

Pakistani government representatives met with officials from the International Olive Council (IOC) in Madrid recently to announce that the South Asian country will become its 19th member.

The IOC’s goal is to plant tens of millions of trees and make Pakistan a relevant olive oil producer in the region. The country is already involved in a multi-year nationwide effort to expand local olive production.

According to Juan Vilar Strategic Consultants, Pakistan produces about 1,500 tons of olive oil per annum and 830 tons of table olives, all of which are destined for domestic consumption.

“Pakistan feels the need to connect with the council as they are developing their olive sector and their internal olive oil consumption grows,” Abdellatif Ghedira, the IOC’s executive director, told Olive Oil Times.

“In Pakistan, olive oil culture is making inroads, and so are the opportunities related to that,” he added. “The council is a decisive player in contributing to the sustainable and responsible development of olive growing, and it serves as a world forum for discussing policymaking issues and tackling present and future challenges.”

The nationwide Ten Billion Tree Tsunami project launched by the government to tackle some of the effects of climate change such as soil erosion and desertification complements the olive expansion projects meant to bring new opportunities to farmers.

The reforestation project, considered by the United Nations one of the most ambitious on a global scale, aims at restoring and enhancing more than one million hectares of forest by the end of 2023.

Today Pakistan’s forest covers only five percent of the country, compared with a 23 percent global average. Planting fruit tree crops, such as olives, is an environmentally and economically-friendly way to achieve this goal.

The second phase of the national olive project, which started 12 years ago, will add 10 million new olive trees in the next three years.

Given the unique characteristics of the olive tree, often thriving in areas way more challenging for other crops, government officials believe that olive farming is an efficient answer both to reforestation needs and economic development.

“A special focus in this phase will be given to underprivileged areas of the country, such as Southern Balochistan, Southern Punjab, the tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some parts of Sindh province,” Muhammad Tariq, national project director at the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, told Olive Oil Times.

Thanks to cooperation projects with some of the IOC’s European members, such as Spain and Italy, and with foreign support from China, local growers are experimenting with many different olive varieties, such as Pendolino, Frantoio, Picual and Arbequina.

---------------

The IOC currently has 18 state members including the European Union. These states account for over 98 per cent of the world's olive production. The following states of the IOC are below (the year of the state's first ratification of one of the Agreements is included; an asterisk indicates that the state was a founding member of the IOOC):

Albania (2009)
Algeria (1963)
Argentina (2009)
Egypt (1964)
European Union*[1]
Georgia (2019)
Iran (2004)
Israel* (1958)
Jordan (2002)
Lebanon (1973)
Libya* (1956)
Montenegro (2007)
Morocco (1958)
Palestine (2017)
Tunisia* (1956)
Turkey (2010)
Uruguay (2013)
Uzbekistan (2021)

Anonymous said...

Drip irrigation is an Isreali agricultural based technology many people in Pakistan are not aware of it . It is a great innovation by Isrealis and Isreali agriculturalists have been using this agricultural based technology since many decades .

Ahmed said...

Dear Sir Riaz and other members of this blog

What anonymous said above is true , I remember I was watching some videos on YouTube in 2015 which showed how Isrealis agriculturalists and experts have transformed the waste lands or desert areas of Isreal into fertile areas and agricultural areas . Actually when Isreal was created in 1948 , it was mostly a barren land or deserted areas , the Jewish agriculturalists who lived in different parts of the world came to Isreal and started using innovative ways to convert the desert areas of Isreal into productive lands .

Drip irrigation which you have mentioned is not exactly an American agricultural based technology but it is an Isreali agricultural based technology and this idea of drip irrigation actually came in the mind of an Isreali .

Their was huge shortage of water in Isreal during 1948 and Isrealis were worried about the future of Isreal because along with shortage of water in Isreal , more than 50% of the Isreali land was barren (unproductive) . Isrealis have worked day and night and finally they transformed their country from a waste land to a productive land and now Isreali medical researchers are doing research on producing new fruits by fusing the seeds and cells of different fruits together but now Isreal has surplus water because out of 100% of the water which is used by Isreali public , 80% of that water is recycled . Isreal has the highest level of water recycle , it recycles more water than 1st world countries like America , Canada and UK.

Riaz Haq said...

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved $200 million in financing to support Pakistan in transforming the agricultural sector by adopting climate-smart technologies to improve water-use efficiency, build resilience to extreme weather events and increase incomes of small farmers.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/07/15/world-bank-supports-pakistan-to-increase-agricultural-resilience-and-protect-small-farmers-from-climate-change-impacts-i

The agricultural sector in Punjab is central to the Pakistan’s economy and food security as it accounts for 73 percent of the country’s total food production. The Punjab Resilient and Inclusive Agriculture Transformation Project (PRIAT) will increase agricultural productivity through efficient and equitable access to water for small farms. It will support farmers at the community and household levels to adopt climate-smart farming practices and technologies that improve crop yields and conserve water resources in Punjab.

“In recent years Pakistan’s agriculture sector has suffered from losses in crop yields and livestock, damage to irrigation infrastructure, and food shortages due to climate change, particularly severe droughts in the Punjab province,” said Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. “This project aligns with the Punjab Agriculture Policy 2018, which promotes massive expansion of water conservation efforts, enhancing sustainability and resilience in the wake of climate change, and private sector participation to help boost the productivity of the sector.”

PRIAT will support farmers implement innovative, climate-smart technologies to help the Punjab government achieve economies of scale to transform the agricultural sector. The project will engage the private sector in sourcing appropriate technologies and providing training tailored for water user associations and individual households to improve water conservation practices and agriculture productivity.

“The agriculture sector has a huge opportunity to both build climate resilience and improve economic conditions by generating access to domestic and international markets,” said Guo Li, Task Team Leader for the project. “PRIAT will help accelerate the government’s efforts to transform the agri-food system through market-oriented production activities that add value, increase competitiveness and generate higher incomes for farmers.”

The project will benefit about 190,000 small, family-owned farms and 1.4 million acres of irrigated land in rural communities in the province. It will also provide training to small- and medium-sized farm owners on water conservation and more sustainable, climate-resilient agricultural practices, including for women. About 74 percent of women in the province rely on agriculture as a source of livelihood.

The World Bank in Pakistan

Pakistan has been a member of the World Bank since 1950. Since then, the World Bank has provided $40 billion in assistance. The World Bank’s program in Pakistan is governed by the Country Partnership Strategy for FY2015-2020 with four priority areas of engagement: energy, private sector development, inclusion, and service delivery. The current portfolio has 60 projects and a total commitment of $14.2 billion.


Riaz Haq said...

Interview: At the root of Pakistan’s water crisis is mismanagement of resources
Development sector professional Umer Karim talks about the energy and water crisis looming over the country.
Farahnaz Zahidi

https://scroll.in/article/1026969/interview-at-the-root-of-pakistans-water-crisis-is-mismanagement-of-resources


More than 80% of the population in Pakistan faces severe water scarcity. Without change, this is projected to increase. With the water crisis looming over the country, Umer Karim, a development sector professional, sat down with The Third Pole.

Karim has been working in the field of irrigation and water management for more than 20 years and is a consultant with public and private sector organisations, as well as a regular guest speaker and media commentator.

Can you explain the debate around dams in Pakistan?
In 2010, all the provinces had a consensus on the Diamer Bhasha dam [a dam being built in northwest Pakistan, which will be one of the highest in the world when finished]. However, now the project is taking a lot of flak. It is difficult to understand why they signed the agreement if it is now believed that we will suffer and dry up as a result.

Some people propose that small dams should be built in provinces. Please invite them to visit Chotiari reservoir, a small dam built on the Nara Canal in Sindh in 1996. No doubt it is very helpful and caters to the needs of downstream areas of Umerkot and Tharparkar whenever there is a shortage of water.

But people living near the banks of this dam are badly affected by waterlogging, salinity and land degradation. Small dams may be valuable in sustaining communities, but they need proper operation and maintenance plus remedial measures for waterlogging and seepage.

Usually, dams are built in areas where issues of waterlogging and salinity are expected to have the least impact. Tarbela dam, for example, recharges the area’s water tables and keeps them fresh.

Among people interested in the environmental pros and cons of hydropower, there are plenty of discussions, but technical or scientific research or data is not included. The narrative around hydros, therefore, remains superficial.

This year, we did not have water [stored in] dams. Tarbela was emptied for repair work on its tunnels during the dry – winter – period, and Mangla had to provide support for those areas in Pakistan’s upper reaches. We are essentially on a direct natural flow of the river, which remained lower than average due to low temperatures at glaciers, and this created multiple problems, especially for lower riparian areas.

Riaz Haq said...

SenatorSherryRehman
@sherryrehman
Good news for Pakistan! Our Recharge Pakistan project, which will be implemented over the next 7 years, has been approved today for funding of 77.8 M USD. These include GCF resources of 66 M USD and co-financing of around USD 11.8 M. This adaptation project aims to initiate ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) interventions that will store flood water in wetlands, floodplains and depressions (green infrastructure) at several priority sites, build community resilience at these sites, and enable the Government of Pakistan, including all lead provinces and stakeholders to implement & replicate such nature-based solutions for climate resilience.

https://twitter.com/sherryrehman/status/1678625444176822275?s=20

--------

Funding of $77.8 million has been approved for Recharge Pakistan, a project that aims to build the country’s climate resilience and water security, Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman announced on Tuesday.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40252003/778mn-funding-secured-for-recharge-pakistan-project-sherry-rehman

“Good news for Pakistan! Our Recharge Pakistan project, which will be implemented over the next seven years, has been approved today for funding of $77.8mn,” said Rehman in a post on Twitter.

The minister highlighted that the funding includes $66 million from Green Climate Fund (GCF) resources and co-financing of around $11.8 million.

GCF was established in 2010 by 194 countries party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is designed as an operating entity of the Convention’s financial mechanism and is headquartered in South Korea.

“This adaptation project aims to initiate ecosystem-based adaptation interventions that will store flood water in wetlands, floodplains and depressions (green infrastructure) at several priority sites,” said Rehman.

Recharge Pakistan is a joint collaboration by GCF, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Government of Pakistan. As per information available on the WWF website, the project aims to build Pakistan’s climate resilience and water security through cost-effective ecosystem-based adaptation.

“The project will increase water storage and recharge through wetlands, floodplains, and hill-torrents management; promote climate-adapted community-based natural resource management and livelihoods; and forge a paradigm shift to scale up this approach,” read the website.

Last week, Rehman during a high-level meeting with a delegation led by Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, President-designate of COP28 and UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said a “critical gap” in resources for adaptation and mitigation has been identified by multilateral agencies -amounting to $348 billion or 10.7% of cumulative GDP by 2030.

Despite this, Pakistan is committed to a green energy transition, whereby it will transfer 60% of its energy needs to renewables by 2030 and reduce its projected emissions by 50% until 2030, Rehman said.

Pakistan is actively involved in transitioning the country towards the renewable energy sector and is seeking partnerships in the alternative and renewable energy sector, the minister added.