Pilot Testing of Innovative Technologies to Improve Water Use Efficiency

TThe government's vision for agriculture sector, alongwith other initiatives, encompasses water conservation and water productivity through enhancing water use efficiency by using soil moisture monitoring gadgets. The proposed project aims at evaluation of climate smart interventions and their demonstration for enhancing the water use efficiency at farm level vis-à-vis improving water productivity and crop yield. Enhancing water use efficiency will significantly contribute towards improving the water productivity and resultantly trigger the growth of rural economy. Project objectives The main objective of the project is to enhance water use efficiency for harnessing maximum benefits of water as agriculture inputs for socio‑economic uplift of the farming community. The key objectives of the project would include, interalia, the followings. Enhance water use efficiency (WUE) of flood irrigation method by using soil moisture gadgets, Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method and Direct Seeding Rice (DSR) technique To calibrate and demonstrate the impact of soil moisture gadgets on improving water productivity as compared to conventional method of irrigation scheduling To indigenize/ standardize the soil moisture monitoring gadgets under local environment Capacity development of the professionals and farmers for enhancing WUE through different innovative techniques

Key Components   

The major activities to be carried out under the proposed project would include, interalia, the followings.

1. Calibration of efficacy of soil moisture monitoring gadgets and other climate smart OFWM interventions at Water Management Research Farm, Renala Khurd for their promotion/ upscaling
2. Awareness creation about benefits of soil moisture monitoring/ irrigation scheduling and social mobilization of farmers for establishment of Technology Transfer Centers (TTCs) in Lower Bari Doab Canal (LBDC) command for the demonstration of climate smart OFWM interventions.
3. Establishment of 18 Technology Transfer Centers (TTCs) in Lower Bari Doab Canal (LBDC) command for the demonstration to enhance water use efficiency through;
   • Farm layout planning/ designing, precision / LASER land leveling and water budgeting & accounting.
   • Provision of rapid soil testing kits to the farmers at TTCs for application of balanced fertilizer.
   • Fixation of pipe nakkas according to soil type and water flow for channelized stream flows.
   • Installation of flow measurement devices for open channels and tubewells for measuring the discharge of water for water accounting.
   • Installation of soil moisture monitoring gadgets.
   • Application of Alternate Wetting & Drying (AWD) and Direct Seeding Rice (DSR) water saving techniques in rice fields to increase the water productivity.
4. Training of farmers for adoption of climate smart interventions and capacity building of technical staff for providing technical support to the farmers for successful adoption of interventions

Location

The proposed project interventions will be implemented in Lower Bari Doab Canal (LBDC) command area. It is planned that the efficacy of the soil moisture measurement gadgets will be evaluated at Water Management Research Farm (WMRF), Renala Khurd, district Okara while demonstration of climate smart interventions will be carried out at 18 technology transfer centers (TTCs) to be established at nine (09) tehsil (Pattoki, Okara, Renalakhurd, Sahiwal, Chichawatni, Khanewal, Mianchannu, Jahanian and Kabirwala) of four (04) districts (Kasur, Okara, Sahiwal and Khanewal) in entire LBDC command. The location map is attached as

Gestation Period

Three (3) years (2019-20 to -2021-22)

Expected outcomes

• Saves water upto 35 percent
• Increases yield  by 8 percent
• Reduces energy use upto 35 percent
• Improves produce qquality
• Curtails nutrients cost

Physical  Implications

Financial Implications (Rs. million)