FMCG Giants Seek to Tackle Crippling Water Situation in Pakistan

Water wastage is a rapidly spreading issue in dire need of a solution; Nestlé Pakistan has taken an initiative to cut down on water wastage and save as much water with the help of a drip irrigation method.

In a recent site visit, Nestlé the world’s largest food company, opened its Kabirwala factory and farm doors to Business Recorder, addressing the crippling water situation by recently introducing a new drip irrigation method, in contrast to flood irrigation, which has the potential to save around 54 million liters of water annually.

Globally, around 70% of water is used in the agricultural sector. Talking about Pakistan, the percentage is at 90% with 50% wastage because of poor irrigation methods. Nestlé Pakistan decided against the traditional flood irrigation method in favor of drip irrigation to save the water and enhance productivity.

As the name suggests, drip irrigation is via ‘dripping’, which requires less water but more precise timing. Through this technique and state-of-art technology, a plant gets the exact amount of water it requires – nothing less and nothing more – thereby saving considerable amount of water. Moreover, not only does the drip irrigation method saves millions of liters of water, it also lowers costs for farmers.

Apart from drip irrigation, Nestlé Pakistan has also taken a number of other initiatives to save as much water as possible, implementing a three step plan to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

Moreover, the FMCG giant has taken a step towards providing access to free, safe water to thousands of people through the installment of water filtration plants. The company also aims to reduce water wastage through water treatment systems, eco-tech, and recycling and reusing practices.