Thursday, May 03, 2007

Potential exists to irrigate extra 9m acres: MINFAL

By Sajid Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: The estimates of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL) show that the country has potential to extend irrigation facilities to additional 9 million acres of land for enhancing agriculture produce.

All on-going and planned water development projects would provide additional irrigation facility of around 4 million acres and 2 million acres increase in cropped area. There is also potential of developing around 5 million acres of land by using flood water of hill-torrents.

According to a MINFAL report the government is progressing well in the direction for extending irrigation facilities and improving water efficiency.

Diamer Bhasha Dam, Kalabagh Dam, Kurram Tangi Dam, Munda Dam, Akhori Da, are among big dams to be constructed by 2016. The construction of these dams would enable the agriculture managers to utilise additional water resources for agriculture development.

The ongoing water sector projects are Mangla Dam Upraising project, Gomal Zam Dam, Mirani Dam Project, Sabakzai Dam project and Satpara Dam Project. Feasibility studies are also being arranged on Sukleji Dam, Winder Dam, Naulong Dam, and Hingoli Dam.

The government is pursuing an aggressive water sector development agenda under which dams are being planned to increase water availability in the country for agriculture. Some 2 million acres of land would be available through the development of Mangla Upraising project and construction of three canals Kacchi Canal , Rainee canal and Greater Thal canal.

The programmes being implemented for improving irrigation efficiency through lining of canals, judicious use of surface and tube well water, increased investment in water usage efficiency and experimentation with sprinkle and drip irrigation.

The future growth of the agriculture sector aimed at the development of the livestock, dairy, agri-business and horticulture sectors. The livestock is emerging as a key sector of growth and there is still a huge un-realised potential of livestock and dairy.

The government has adopted livestock growth strategy to address the constraints like in adequate feed resources, unavailability of superior germplasm, epidemics of infectious diseases, poor marketing infrastructure, poor institutional framework and out dated regulatory framework.

The report also sheds light to key policy goals for growth of the agriculture sector through diversification to horticulture, livestock and fisheries, narrowing yield gap by enhancing productivity especially of small farmers, promoting demand driven research and adoption of new technologies, ensure fair price to farmers and be compliant with WTO regulations, especially international quality standards to avail more share in the global agriculture market.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?p..._3-5-2007_pg5_1