Its refreshing to see the government has finally started focusing on "Efficient Water Conservation" plan - highlighting the significance of drip irrigation system. The decision, which comes three years after the World Bank cautioned that Pakistan is fast moving to become a "water scarce country" from being a "water stressed country", has to be acted upon promptly, as more than one-fifth of economic output comes from agriculture sector that employs nearly 44 percent of total work force.
The currently used technology, flood irrigation, for watering crops in Pakistan is highly substandard due to irregular supply, owing to which about nearly half of water is left unutilised. Drip irrigation, on the contrary, is an innovative technology that will not only help save water but also increase farming output.
A large amount of research has already been carried out to asses its feasibility during the past few years, and many small pilot projects have been successfully tested and implemented by a social venture named Micro Drip in Thar region. The results have been astonishing: tenfold increase in net farming income, thanks to 60 percent rise in crop yield at half the fertiliser costs and 25 percent reduction in irrigation expenses. Three broad strategies can be implemented by the government to make this project viable across the country.
-- Set up research and development facilities to come up with innovative low cost irrigation products, perhaps taking a cue from India which introduced drip irrigation system by manufacturing easy to use Drip Kits. These kits are designed to meet customised needs of small farmers and can be installed into a wide array of plots, ranging from 20 to1000 square meters.
-- In tandem with the R&D centers, set up large scale manufacturing units to lower the cost of production and make new technologies affordable for small farmers as the vast majority is poor.
-- Lastly, schemes must be introduced to convince small framers who have been typically found reluctant to switch on to new methods of irrigation. To achieve this, the government, in co-ordination with the NGOs, can work on technology awareness programmes revolving both around introductory education and subsequent maintenance of the system.
Drip irrigation is not a new concept. Many developed and developing countries have been benefiting from the system for more than 60 years. Even India productively implemented this system at least about 15 years back. With global economic slowdown highlighting the significance of domestic real sector growth, it is about time to take quick drastic measures and design a strategy to implement this system in order to reap the benefits of rising commodity prices.
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