RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: “The Punjab government is encouraging high efficiency irrigation system to overcome scarcity of water and providing 60 percent subsidy to those farmers who intend to install drip irrigation system.”

This was stated by the provincial Secretary Agriculture Muhammad Mahmood while presiding over 3rd quarterly review meeting of water management section at Agriculture House, here on Thursday.

Mahmood said next-century war will be fought over water, not over oil, so, keeping it in view, Punjab government is encouraging high efficiency irrigation system to overcome scarcity of water.

The meeting was attended by Dr Ghazanfer Ali, Additional Secretary (Planning), Rana Mahmood, Chief (P&E), Malik Muhammad Akram, Director General Agriculture (Water Management) along with high officials of water management section.

On this occasion, Secretary Agriculture was briefed about KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) of previous quarterly review. Secretary Agriculture expressed his pleasure on timely completion of all tasks. He further said that drip irrigation system is suitable for crop cultivation when irrigation water or rainwater is not enough for conventional farming.

This technology, so far, has been adopted by many farmers across Punjab owing to acute shortage of river water and limited rains. Keeping in view its high efficiency in conserving water, increasing per acre yield and reducing cost of cultivation, there is a need to create awareness among farmers about the drip irrigation system. With this technology, the farmers could save 60% electricity and diesel costs augmenting per acre yield by 100% as Pakistan is ranked 7th country in the world facing scarcity of water.

The government is helping farmers adoption of this system by providing drip irrigation equipment at subsidized rates and providing 60% subsidy on installation of drip irrigation system. There is 40% to 50% saving of fertilizer if drip irrigation system is used. Currently, the system is used for small scale cultivation e.g., 12.5 acre of land.

Mahmood further said that other techniques and methods are also underway to extend the programme for large scale cultivation. Drip irrigation technology is being provided to the farmers by government on subsidized cost with financial assistance from the World Bank.

He further said that it is need of time to move towards modern resource conservation technologies such as drip irrigation to cope with the situation of water scarcity in upcoming years.