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Water scarcity posing threat to food output: Agricultural
Research Council
LAHORE : The gradual depletion of available water resources
both at ground and underground levels is causing direct threat
to national economy and negative impact on food production
across the country. This was stated by Dr Riaz A Mann,
in-charge, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (Parc)
station, Kala Shah Kaku on Wednesday in a briefing given to
Parc chief Dr Umar Khan Baloch about the experiments.
He said rice and wheat are the major food staples for more
than 140 million people in Pakistan, adding that in the
irrigated areas, both crops have been practised sequentially
for several decades.
Dr Riaz said in the past few years, Pakistan is experiencing
drought conditions that led to depletion of available water
resources, and this situation has serious negative impact on
food production pattern in the country.
He explained to the Parc chief with facts and figures that as
rice is a water-loving plant which needs continuous flooding
condition for a period of four month, saying the area under
rich cultivation, due to non-availability of required water,
has considerably reduced this year.
Furthermore, the paddy yield at the farm level is registered
much low that the potential yields of the cultivated rice
varieties. Several factors like low plant population, untimely
transplanting due to shortage of skilled-labour, mortality of
rice seedlings due to transplanting shock are responsible for
this low yield at the farm level, he said.
Dr Riaz said similarly, the resource conservation technology (RCT)
in wheat through zero-tillage can ensure water economy, timely
sowing, low seed rate and no cost of land preparation, adding
thus studies were desired to be put in a very effective way on
farmers field so that field-oriented problems could be solved
in an orderly manners.
He said that Parc, realising the problems being faced by the
rice and wheat growers, has launched an important project
funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on "Sustaining crop
and water productivity in the irrigated rice and wheat system
of Punjab" in joint collaboration with On Farm Management,
International Water Management Institute and University of
Agriculture, Faisalabad. He said now research is being carried
out three different locations of district Sheikhupura.
Dr Mann said the main objectives of the project include to
compare new planting techniques with conventional methods,
prepare accurate and precise recommendations for rice and
wheat crops husbandry and finally provide options for farmers
to resource conservation methods of tillage and irrigation of
rice and wheat crops.
He said new techniques involves a direct seedling of rice and
wheat on flat soil using zero-till drill and direct seedling
on raised beds as well as manual transplanting of rice
seedlings on raised beds compared with conventional methods of
rice end wheat planting.
Parc Chairman Dr Umar Khan Baloch appreciated the efforts of
the team of scientist engaged in research, and hoped that
recommendations on the successful completion of the project
will help a lot to frame realistic policy to boost the
agricultural productions in the country within given
resources.
Narc Director General Dr Naeem Iqbal Hashmi, Parc Member Dr
Muhammad Ashraf, OFM director general were also present in the
briefing.-APP
November 2, 2001
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