Experts urge govt to introduce high efficiency irrigation systems

HYDERABAD: Researchers, academics, agriculture institutions, and growers have unanimously asked to introduce efficient irrigation systems like drip, spate, and sprinkler technology for food security and sustainable agriculture to save water.

They were speaking at a seminar on World Water Day 2017 under this year’s theme Waste Water, urging for a transparent water policy to address these issues. The event was organised jointly by Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, Research and Development Foundation (RDF), and Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) at the university premises. A large number of community farmers, women, artisans, university graduates, faculty members, researchers, and representatives of civil society organisations participated in the seminar. The seminar was followed by a walk. They also demanded the government to control and avoid the discharge of industrial, municipal and agriculture waste into the irrigation canals, which not only impacted the soil quality negatively but was also causing diseases in humans living in the tail end areas.

Though no exact data is available about the impacts of drinking polluted canal water, news reports often cite canal water consumption as a cause of disease among the farmers and communities living along canals. Experts urged to make policies that also cover the status of the 1,209 freshwater bodies, which have either depleted completely or are facing threats from pollution and climate change.

Thousands of people, who depended on these inland water resources - lakes and wetlands for livelihood and nourishment, are now migrating to other areas due to water pollution and poisoning.

Dr Zulfiqar Yousfani, representing Sindh Abadgar Board, said there might be acute water shortage in Sindh in the month of April; this would create more uncertainty among the agricultural communities.

"It is not for any specific district, but the entire province will face the issue. Communities at the tail end of canals, tributaries and those depending on underground water sources, will face trouble," he warned. Terming all the water accords flawed which failed to resolve the issues at provincial and central level, he said the 1990 water accord within provinces did not mention how underground water could be used.

“Presently, the tail-enders in Sindh do not have river and canal water, and growers are protesting to save their seasonal crops, while Punjab has installed tube-well mechanism to extract the entire underground water, leaving the lands in Sindh dry and people helpless,” Dr Yousfani said.

Yousfani said growers from Sindh were approached by the government some years back to witness the benefits of dam building and support the move, “but we refused to be part of this campaign for the sake of our future generations”.

SAU vice chancellor Prof Mujeebuddin Memon Sehrai said water was a sensitive issue. Quoting the reports about increasing health issues, he said people were dying after consuming contaminated canal water and poisonous underground water. He urged academia to conduct research and transfer the technology to end users (farmers) to help them adopt sustainable agriculture practices and efficient use of water. Mahmood Nawaz Shah, representing Sindh Chamber of Agriculture, said water shortage in Sindh was crucial, as 90 percent of the rural population, and 44 percent of the urban population did not have access to safe drinking water.

Ashfaq Soomro, head of programme at RDF, urged upon students and graduates to conduct research and give suggestions to the government. He said water was a major theme under the Sustainable Development Goals, as it covers food, agriculture, health and prosperity. He said, in fact, research institutions cannot work in isolation.

They need help and no doubt that the agriculture university provides support and contribute to bring stakeholders together to discuss and identify the issues and better solutions. John Ryan, county director Trocaire, said their organisation was contributing to promote livelihoods opportunities in rural communities of Sindh with local partner organisations.