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PESHAWAR, May 30 (APP):In order to address key water resource challenges and growing threat of water scarcity due to global warming, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a global research for development organization, has started geo-tagging of tubewells in Marshera and Charsadda districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The initiative has been taken by IWMI under its Water Resource Accountability Programme (WRAP) launched with the support from Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
“Under WRAP project, IWMI is working in two districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to assist government in addressing critical water governance and management challenges,” informed Engr Muhammad Naeem, Advisor IWMI.
Briefing newsmen about working of IWMI in KP,Engr Naeem said geo-tagging of tubewells have been started to obtain data for comprehensive assessment about ground water situation in the two districts and to chalk out actionable policy measures to control and improve the situation.
Engr Naeem said Khyber Pakhtubkhwa is facing serious water challenges due to missing water accounting framework, inefficient water allocation, erratic rainfall behaviour, climate change and rapid glaciers ablation.
All these challenges are creating uncertainty for the further water availability which needs proactive measures for water accounting, irrigation demand management and regulatory improvements to combat future vulnerabilities.
Working since December 2023 in KP, IWMI has installed 20 soil moisture sensors in each pilot districts and held four capacity building sessions for farmers in Manshera on adopting new technologies focusing on sustainable water usage, achieving high yield, Naeem told newsmen.
The organization is also collecting soil samples for physio-chemical properties assessment to educate farmers on optimal crops suitable for their filed.
For establishing water allocation system for multiple sectors, IWMI has collected water demand data for agriculture, industry, domestic and livestock.
Similarly, for capacity building of relevant provincial organizations, institutions and officials to improve overall water management system, IWMI under WRAP project has successfully launched different activities in support of technical interventions.
Two cutting-edge scientific equipment, Eddy Covariance (EC) Flux Tower, will also be installed in these two districts of KP to optimize crop water usage, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance agricultural sustainability.
“The Eddy Covariance (EC) Flux Tower is a sophisticated monitoring system that will provide precise data on water and energy fluxes, critical for understanding the interplay between farming practices and the environment,” informs Engr Kifayat Zaman, Assistant Team Lead WRAP KP.
Talking to newsmen, Entr Kifayat said we need to use technology for groundwater monitoring and its optimized use by deployment of sensors and other monitoring equipment.
He said water usage situation in Pakistan is grim as per capita water availability which was 5600 cubic meter in 1951-55 has been reduced to just 930 cubic meters per year in 2024.
This level of water usages places Pakistan below the threshold of a water-stressed country and considers it water-scarce.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kifayat continued, against the total water allocation of 8.78 MAF, the province utilizes 5.97 MAF with an annual unused resource of 2.81 MAF due to lack of infrastructure.
Water tables at different locations are dropping at fast rates with excessive abstraction and the recharge is inadequate.
IWMI under WRAP is implementing provincial level interventions including water accounting, development of GMIS to support water regulatory authorities, application of Irrigation Demand Management to improve water productivity and establishing a water allocation system for multiple sectors.