Irrigated agriculture is important for Pakistan. Out of some 21 million ha of cropped lands, 17 million ha are irrigated, mostly from the River Indus. However, many years of irrigation have resulted in a variety of problems depending on the location in the Indus basin.
In the province of Punjab, with some 10 million ha irrigated, the situation is now moving from one of water excess to water shortage. Water tables are falling as groundwater is used to supplement deficient surface irrigation supplies. This stresses the importance of research and development (R&D) aimed at integrated water management, first in volumetric terms, such as increasing irrigation efficiency and reducing water use, and second in quality terms, as the quality of groundwater used to supplement surface water supplies is often only moderate. The long-term effects of using this poorer quality water may result in land degradation and lower crop yields. Research is required on the evolution of the land degradation and what water management and agronomic options can be implemented.
Downstream in the province of Sindh, groundwater has risen close to the surface causing waterlogging and salinization of the root zone. This has occurred as a result of unavoidable irrigation losses and inflow from Punjab. As a consequence, agricultural crop yields are diminishing and groundwater tables steadily rising. Drainage systems are required to combat the twin problems of waterlogging and salinization. The challenge for research now is to provide for drainage systems that cause minimum effects on the environment. Moreover, R&D is required to investigate the best options to ensure that most drainage systems can be managed, operated and maintained by farmers. This necessitates that, from the onset of drainage planning, farmer involvement is promoted and assured.
In the province of Baluchistan surface water scarcity has led to groundwater being mined for irrigation. Future water demand in this province is likely to increase to meet the demands of an ever-expanding population. The emphasis of R&D in this province is on water conservation and water harvesting techniques. More efficient use of water is required, with future research aimed at improving agronomic responses to water shortages.
This document presents state-of-the-art papers given at a roundtable meeting in Lahore, Pakistan that addressed the urgent requirements of R&D in irrigated agriculture in Pakistan. They were prepared to identify and help prioritize detailed R&D needs that relate to existing and future problems in irrigation and drainage. It is expected that this identification process will lead to detailed project formulations that will assist in sustaining the agricultural sector in Pakistan.
Tom Brabben
Acting Officer-in-Charge - IPTRID
