Project okayed to increase water use efficiency in irrigated areas
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—Ministry of Science and Technology has approved a project to increase water use efficiency in the irrigated areas of Upper Indus Basin.
The project - Research Studies for Sustainable Management of Water Resources in the Upper Indus Plain - will cost Rs. 24.08 million and will be completed in three years. Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) will, execute the project. The main objective of the project is to increase the water availability and water productivity at the farm gate.
The other objectives of the project are to increase water use efficiency in the irrigated areas of Upper Indus Basin, evaluate and suggest efficient irrigation methods to replace traditional inefficient flood irrigation methods, develop innovative low cost water and salinity management instruments and disseminate efficient water management technologies to the farmers.
Minister for Science and Technology, Ch. Nouraiz Shakoor Khan on Tuesday said the project is important for a secure and prosHe said it is high time that water usage in Pakistan be done on rational and scientific basis. The land use and water productivity is far below than its potential due to inadequate and untimely availability of water causing stress at critical stages of crop growth, improper irrigation scheduling, water consumed by high delta crops, ground water pollution due to various kind of agriculture inputs, disposal of saline drainage effluents and industrial wastes and over pumping. The studies conducted under this project will focus at different aspects and factors affecting the water quality during agriculture practices.
The research conducted will assess any possible adverse impact of herbicides and pesticides on agricultural ecology. The innovative methods for the irrigation of rice and wheat will be developed to reduce water consumption and labour.
The research study will measure the concentration of heavy metals and pathogenic organisms in the drain waters being used for irrigation.
The waste water from industrial and urban sources is a menacing threat to human health and industrial production. To maintain crop production farmers are forced to use alternate sources of water. They have installed the pumps along the rains through their lands and are irrigating strips of lands along such drains being unaware of the long-term effects of industrial and human waste on soil fertility.
The project will also aim at motivate the farmers to adopt new efficient technologies for the use of canal water. The researchThe research will enable the farmers, dependent only on rainwater and canals, to survive in the times of shortage through better water reservoir management.