Water scarcity: Sprinkle, drip irrigation termed viable for Dir

DIR: The latest technology of sprinkle and drip irrigation systems has been identified as a suitable solution for addressing the issue of water scarcity in Upper Dir district.

The innovation is considered a highly efficient irrigation system (HEIS) for the district due to the limited availability of irrigation water as a result of the area’s mountainous topography.

During a field day and convention organised for farmers by the Water Management Department as part of the Irrigated Agriculture Improvement Project of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Gandigar, various techniques and strategies were discussed to prevent the wastage of irrigation water.

District Officer of Water Management Dr Rafiq Ur Rehman and Engineer Salman Khan from the department stated that in the conventional method, approximately 90 percent of irrigation water is wasted in unlined watercourses from the source to the end.

Dr Rafiq explained that adopting a high-efficiency irrigation system is imperative, particularly in mountainous areas like Dir, where the availability of water for irrigation is decreasing.

He discussed two newly developed technologies: sprinkle and drip irrigation systems, both of which can be effectively employed in both flat and sloped farms for cultivating cereal crops, vegetables, fruit orchards, as well as plantation in hilly and plateau regions.

Introducing a water-efficient tool through the irrigation channel, other speakers referred to the precast concrete parabolic segment (PCPS) as an excellent option with multiple advantages over the existing channel lining system.

They said the PCPS had already been introduced in several villages of the mountainous district and had undergone testing in nearby areas.

During the event, it was announced that the Water Management Department would provide technical and financial support to farmers in the district with a 60:40 ratio, and urged farmers to benefit from the opportunity.

Local farmers from Gandigar village shared their success stories with the participants.

Deputy Director of Agricultural Development, Pervez Khan, said that the soil of Upper Dir is fertile and capable of high yields in fruits and cereal crops. However, due to its steep terrain, it faces a shortage of irrigation water. He stressed the need for farmers to switch over to the new HEIS technology, which is the key to overcoming water scarcity.