Cost Effective Interventions for Enhancing Water Productivity in Stressed Areas Outside Indus Basin of Pakistan (A Mini Pilot Project In Sindh Province)

Objectives  Management of water resources at farm level through use of promising technologies to enhance, conveyance and application efficiencies.  Introduction of profitable and sustainable cropping pattern having highest water productivity and profitability  Create awareness and capacity building of groundwater users for its safe and efficient utilization  Provision of services related to laser land leveling and bed-furrow farming to enhance water productivity through rural entrepreneurs/agricultural service providers(ASPs)

Salient Features of Project Area  Village: Baz Kandu, Pataro, Jamshoro.  Location: Latitude: 25⁰ -35’ -46”N Longitude: 68⁰ -18’- 27” E  No. of Farmers:30  Soil Type:Silty loam  Topography:Undulated  Annual Rainfall:50-70 mm  Climate:Hot and Dry(Highly Stressed) Contd….

Salient Features of Project Area  Temperature:22 ⁰C - 50 ⁰C  Source of Irrigation:Rain fed (52%) Groundwater(48%)  Groundwater Quality:Marginal (Saline-Sodic)  Number of Tube wells:11  No. of Water users: 30  Diesel driven:100%  Diesel Engine HP:16-30 HP  Depth of Bore: ft Contd…

Deliverables and Implementation Status DeliverableStatus Inception ReportCompleted Social, Environmental and Agriculture BaselineCompleted Formation of Tube well Farmers Organization (TFO)Completed Selection of ASP by TFOCompleted Skill attainment training to ASP for Laser Leveller and Bed Planter Partially Completed Provision of Laser Land Leveller & Bed Furrow Planter to ASPIn Progress Provision of Laser Levelling/Bed Planting rental services in the project area on agreed rates Introduction of best practices and profitable cropping patterns for productivity enhancement Contd….

DeliverableStatus Establishment of farmer support units through village seed banks, supply of non-water inputs at right time and prices. Linkage with local markets and potential storage of surplus to market at right time Farmers Field Days Draft Final Report Modification and Submission of Final Report Contd…

Major Findings of Baseline Survey  Cropping Intensity:71%  Cropping Pattern: Kharif:47% Guar,Sorghum,Sweet Gourd,Fodder Rabi:53% Wheat, Onion,Tomato  Crop YieldTons/Ha Wheat :2.7 Guar:0.71 Sorghum:0.84 Sweet Gourd:2.8 Onion:12 Tomato:8.6

 Lack of awareness about promising technologies  Over Irrigation application ( 7-8 irrigations to wheat crop)  Lack of awareness about spate irrigation and rod kohi water harvesting  Potential for livestock by increasing grazing land.  Over application of non-water inputs (Seed and Fertilizers)  Scope for profitable and sustainable cropping pattern ensuring efficient utilization of land and water resources  Potential for Bridging the wide yield gap of major crops  Land and water productivity enhancement by Provision of timely services and supplies through farmer support units and involvement of ASPs. Conclusions

Thank you! Thank You South Asian Conservation Agriculture Network (SACAN)