Abstract
Pakistan is facing challenges of poor land and water productivity, depletion of ground water, water scarcity, food security and environmental implications due to obsolete and inefficient irrigation, agriculture practices. To mitigate impending crisis the only way out is to opt holistic approach focusing on better management of resources, incentives for farmers to be more efficient user. The future is all about adoption of the most efficient water saving interventions for improving conveyance, application, and water use efficiencies. It is obligatory to conduct research for ascertaining the impact of modern irrigation practices on the performance of different crops. Thus, district Rawalpindi, Punjab Pakistan was selected for research purposes to determine water productivity improvement along with other objectives by adoption of HEISs amongst vegetable growers. The present article covers one of the objectives, the improvement in water productivity. Data of 135 acres were collected; 108 acres, 4 acres from each 27 sites under DIS and 27 acres, 1 acre adjacent to site as control irrigated with conventional method. It is concluded that by adoption of DIS significant results have been achieved in terms of crop diversification trend. Considering unit of 1 acre irrigation time saving 43.80 minutes, volume saving 1223.93 m3 leading towards yield increasing by 32618.5 kg income increasing and the ultimate objective enhancing water productivity up to 15.55 kg/m3 estimated also. 100% respondents observed substantial yield increase, with DIS 71% found very easy, 80.7% stated difficult with conventional irrigation method. 89.63% users desired to have procedural change in existing project. Several changes were proposed from capacity building to backup services and the most crucial 55% desired to change subsidy ratio 40-60% with 10-90% shared by beneficiaries and by government, respectively. At the end farming community placed DIS at the summit as the most efficient water saving initiative having multiple advantages.
Muhammad Bilal , Syed M. Zakria. (2021) IMPROVING WATER PRODUCTIVITY BY ADOPTION OF HIGH EFFICIENCY IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AMONG VEGETABLE GROWERS IN DISTRICT RAWALPINDI, PUNJAB PAKISTAN, Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, Volume 58, Issue 3.
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