He said that we were using 93 percent share of available water for agriculture purposes. Therefore, we should use it judiciously with the help of latest technologies including drip irrigation projects
The government has announced to provide 50 per cent subsidy to convert drip irrigation projects on solar system.
A spokesman of the Agriculture extension department told APP on Wednesday that drip irrigation can help not only in overcoming water scarcity but also increase crop production from 20 percent to 100 percent whereas solar system will help the farmers to save money from spending on purchase of diesel and other energy fuel for drip irrigation.
He said that we were using 93 percent share of available water for agriculture purposes. Therefore, we should use it judiciously with the help of latest technologies including drip irrigation.
He said that at the time of independence, there was 5600 cusec water for every citizen in Pakistan which now reduced to 1000 cusec. He said that under drip irrigation system, water was supplied to the roots of plants in the form of well-calculated and required drops which was quite enough to fulfill water needs of the plant for its optimum growth.
He said that the government was striving hard to promote drip irrigation and other latest irrigation techniques so that maximum water could be saved to bring unclaimed and dried land under plough.
He said that government had earmarked Rs.3.67 billion to convert drip irrigation projects on solar system by providing 50 percent subsidy. He said that Pakistan receives sunlight about 8 hours daily which was sufficient to run motors and pumps of drip irrigation system if we could convert it on solar system.
The solar system was not only environment-friendly but it will also help the farmers to save precious money which they were using to purchase diesel for operating drip irrigation installations.
Responding to a question, he explained the benefits of drip irrigation system and said that this system helps the salts to move deep into the soil which was easily absorbed by the roots of the plant.
Responding to yet another question, he told APP that flood irrigation system was sheer wastage of water and it should be replaced with drip irrigation system which will help in increasing 20-100 percent crop production besides saving water and fertilizer.
Originally published at The nation