Water resource management needs improvement

LAHORE: The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Pakistan organised a media workshop for effective reporting on water governance, under the UK Aid-funded Water Resource Accountability in Pakistan (WRAP) Programme at a local hotel here on Thursday.

The workshop aimed to sensitise print, electronic and digital media journalists on water governance in Pakistan. The speakers highlighted the importance of effective water governance and how water resource management could be improved and how it can help to ensure the availability of water for different sectors especially agriculture and industry. Country Representative Pakistan IWMI and Team Leader of the WRAP Programme Dr Mohsin Hafeez said that his organisation is working on various water-related reforms through the UK Aid-funded programme such as water accounting and water resources assessment, Data as a Service (DaaS), water allocation systems, groundwater management information system and irrigation demand management etc.

These reforms will improve water governance in the Indus Basin to support the implementation of national policies (water and climate change), as well as promote sustainable use of water in Punjab to support the implementation of Punjab Water Act 2019, he added.

Dr M Javed gave an overview of Punjab Water Act 2019 and how the WRAP Programme was contributing towards its implementation. Engr. Hafiz Qaisar Yasin briefed about Farm Water Management (FWM) and informed the participants on the need to improve water governance for better agricultural productivity in Punjab.

He emphasised on various policies on water governance and highlighted the need for good governance at the farm level. He also stressed on undertaking water budgeting and accounting at the farm level to strengthen water governance and promote Irrigation Demand Management (IDM)/Nature-Based Solutions. Experts from IWMI Pakistan briefed the participants on water governance reforms being piloted through the WRAP Programme and a pilot project started in district Okara for effective water management, mechanisms for better water allocation and gender-inclusive water planning.

They said IWMI Pakistan will arrange future capacity building workshops and media exposure visits to pilot project in district Okara in the next financial year of the WRAP Programme. Meanwhile, Punjab University Faculty of Agricultural Sciences organised an awareness seminar to mark ‘World Water Day’.

Dean Faculty of Agricultural Sciences Prof Dr Muhammad Saleem Haider, Chairman Department of Food Science Dr Shinawar Wasim, Humaira Ubaid, Muhammad Shahzad Ahmed, faculty members and students were present.

Speakers on the occasion highlighted the importance of water and shed light on the resources, problems and solutions for clean water. They said that the water reserves in the country were decreasing rapidly, for which measures should be taken to ensure proper use of water.