HYDERABAD: Sindh rice growers are hit by acute water shortage as in many parts of the province they have not been able to even raise paddy nurseries for cultivation, The News has learnt.
“It is too late and now we cannot imagine cultivating rice this year,” said Gulab Shah, a farmer in Keti Bunder, Thatta district, said to take lead in cultivating all crops.
Shah said previously they used to get water earlier in March and April to prepare rice nurseries. “But now watercourses receive little water once a month, which is not enough to save even livestock, let alone meet the needs of humans,” he added.
“Coastal farmers have cultivated cotton, which needs proper watering once a week, while others have grown paan (betel leaf) on a wide area which they may not be able to save in the face of prolonged water scarcity,” Shah said further.
Reports gathered from other rice producing areas like Badin, Dadu, Jacobabad, Larkana, and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts show farmers are waiting to receive water in the irrigation system, as the season of establishing rice nurseries usually begins in April and May, which is facing a holdup.
Jan Odhano, a local activist and farmer in Jacobabad district said, “Previously we used to receive river water in April and the area farmers enjoyed lush crops, like vegetables and fruits, besides rice and wheat”.
“But now the situation has changed and nobody can think about cultivating wheat, as they do not have water for the crop. Therefore, the farmers only rely on rice, which too seems in trouble this year.”
He said gone were the days when they used to have wheat and other crops for accumulating diversified food stock for their own consumption and some extra for selling in the market.
“Pursuing an old practice, farmers, after harvesting rice crop cultivate vegetables on the moisture of rice farmland and earn little through growing melons, watermelons, and other short-period food crops.”
Only a few influential growers in Jacobabad district have installed tube wells for extracting underground water for preparing nurseries timely. They seem ready to transplant seedlings after receiving canal water in June, according to reports.
Jacobabad district receives water for irrigation through Begari Wah (canal), starting from Gudu Barrage.
Nawab Zubair Talpur, president Sindh Growers Alliance (SGA) calls it a conspiracy to destroy agriculture in Sindh through one or the other way.
“Sometimes it’s the poor seeds, which cannot germinate, while at others it is the stoppage of flowing water that disrupts traditional practices,” Talpur said.
He said it was true Sindh was not receiving its rightful water share because Punjab was in violation of the agreements; however, politically influential people in Sindh, in cahoots with irrigation department, were also creating problems for tail-end farmers.
Talpur said the poor farmers of Sindh were paying the price for this “political issue” between Sindh and Punjab.
“Similarly here in Sindh, it is a governance issue to distribute water share judiciously with specific focus on tail-end areas.”
He observed that certain officials after having their palms greased would allow big landlords to enjoy more water, depriving others of their share.
Sindh Irrigation department officials realise there is more than 60 percent water shortage at all barrages like Gudu, Sukkur, and Kotri, where from all canals originate to irrigate the farmland in the entire province. Due to this, they release little water in the canals to save livestock and fulfill the needs of humans only. But influential farmers take water from these canals through machines to save their standing crops.
Community elders believe during the months of June and July they receive water in the irrigation watercourses for crops and see improvement in underground water levels, which benefits traditional sources.
It is a common problem for the people in rural areas. Watercourses help them to get water for domestic use, because underground water has turned brackish. Thus, traditional water facilities like wells and hand pumps are of no use.
Groups of women carrying different kinds of pitchers and cans can be seen fetching water from nearby watercourses under the sizzling sun in many areas. Many towns and flourishing villages also receive water through government-laid supply lines coming from these irrigation waterways.
Farmers believe the rice cultivation in Sindh may be delayed for one month or more. Because looking at the present scenario, it seems farmers may receive water in June to prepare nurseries. Farmers, keeping a close eye on the situation, believe on one side they are being provided low-quality rice seed, which cannot germinate while on the other being deprived of water share.
They are afraid of facing difficulties in case of failure to cultivate the food crop timely or receiving low-yield because of delayed sowing.
