ISLAMABAD: The World Bank-backed irrigation project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has delivered significant improvements in water access and farm productivity, but lagging adoption of modern technologies and weak gender inclusion continue to threaten its full impact.
According to official documents of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Irrigated Agriculture Improvement Project, the multi-million-dollar programme has made “substantial progress” in expanding irrigation coverage and strengthening community-based water management systems across the province.
On the financial side, the project has disbursed nearly 94 percent of its USD 171 million allocation, with USD 157 million already utilised. Private sector contributions from farmers have reached USD 57 million, indicating strong local buy-in, though still short of the USD 75 million target.
In response to implementation delays, the project’s closing date has been extended by one year to December 31, 2026. The extension is intended to accelerate the rollout of modern irrigation technologies and complete remaining activities.
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Approved in 2019, the project is considered vital for improving agricultural productivity in a province where water scarcity and inefficient irrigation systems have long constrained rural incomes.
While the overall performance rating remains “Moderately Satisfactory,” the World Bank has maintained a “Substantial” risk rating, citing governance, institutional capacity, and fiduciary challenges.
An additional 700 watercourses have been rehabilitated, bringing the cumulative total to more than 13,000. These interventions now serve over 360,000 hectares of farmland and benefit approximately 210,000 farming families — far exceeding the project’s original target of 150,000 beneficiaries.
The project has also invested heavily in water storage infrastructure, completing more than 4,100 tanks in rain-fed areas. These structures are helping farmers cope with erratic rainfall patterns and climate pressures, enabling more consistent cropping cycles.
A standout achievement has been the rapid formation of local water governance bodies. More than 18,000 Water User Associations have been established or strengthened, giving farmers a greater role in managing irrigation systems and improving accountability at the grassroots level.
Despite these gains, progress remains uneven.
Water losses in irrigation channels have declined from a baseline of 45 percent to 33 percent; however, this still falls short of the 25 percent target. Water productivity at the farm level has improved modestly, with yields per cubic metre rising from 0.95 to 1.23 for key crops such as wheat and maize.
However, the biggest concern flagged in the report is the slow rollout of High Efficiency Irrigation Systems (HEIS). Only 145 hectares have been brought under HEIS so far, compared to a target of more than 4,000 hectares.
“The pace of HEIS adoption is a critical bottleneck,” the report notes, warning that without accelerated deployment, the project may struggle to meet its long-term efficiency goals.
Efforts to shift farmers toward higher-value crops are also behind schedule. Just over 1,100 hectares have been converted to horticulture and other high-value farming, barely halfway to the 2,000-hectare target.
Another major gap lies in gender inclusion. Women account for only 3 percent of total beneficiaries, far below the 30 percent target. While female representation within the project’s implementation unit stands at 33 percent, meaningful participation of women farmers in project benefits and decision-making remains limited.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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