PESHAWAR, Mar 30 (APP): Speakers at a media workshop highlighted the importance of water measurement for effective water governance and how the improved water resource management can help to ensure availability of water for different sectors, especially agriculture and industry.
The workshop was organized by International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Pakistan with the objective of effective reporting on water governance, said a press release issued here on Thursday. The workshop aimed to sensitize print, electronic and digital media journalists on water governance in Pakistan.
Dr Mohsin Hafeez, Country Representative Pakistan, IWMI, and team leader of the WRAP Programme Component 1: CRS-IWaG said that IWMI Pakistan was 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, among others.
These reforms will improve water governance in the Indus Basin to support the implementation of national policies on 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.
Engr. Hafiz Qaisar Yasin, Director (Headquarters), On Farm Water Management (OFWM) informed the participants on the need to improve water governance for better agricultural productivity. He emphasized on various policies on water governance and highlighted the need for good governance at the farm level. He also emphasized 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, including Dr Abdur Rehman Cheema, Regional Researcher Water Governance and Institutional Specialist; Dr Umar Waqas Liaqat, Researcher Irrigation; Dr Muhammad Arshad, Researcher Integrated Water Resources Management Specialist; and Kanwal Waqar, Researcher, Gender and Youth Specialist briefed the participants on water governance reforms being piloted through the WRAP Programme Component 1: CRS-IWaG.
Engr. Dr Jehanzeb Masud Cheema, Researcher Water Resources Management, IWMI Pakistan summarized the key takeaways and informed the participants that efficient water management was key to ensuring water security.
To achieve this objective, we need to rightly measure our water resources, which will contribute towards informed decision-making, he said and added that this media workshop would enable journalists to better report on water governance issues and advocate for the sustainable use of water resources among various stakeholders and the public.
Moreover, the IWMI Pakistan will arrange future capacity building workshops and media exposure visits in the next financial year of the WRAP Programme Component 1.
