A five member delegation representing Pakistan visited the Murray Darling Basin and studied various water management models at the Charles Sturt University in Albury-Wodonga.
The group described the visit as “enlightening” and a great “learning experience.”
Naveed Iqbal from the Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) said the visit has helped him understand how various government organisations and bodies are collaborating with each other on the shared Murray Darling Basin.
“There are so many states involved to share this common piece of water resource. There are several authorities established to manage it. Everyone is working towards water conservation, resource management, which is similar to the Indus Basin [in Pakistan].
“The farmers in Pakistan have to be taken in confidence through a lot of measures including subsidies and make them understand that water is not a free resource."
"We have similar issues in Pakistan, like salinity and water-logging.
“In Australia, we are witnessing the very good implementation of the policies and regulations compared to Pakistan where we do come up with the plan and regulations [but not implementation].”
Saleem Akhtar from the Punjab Irrigation Department observed that the information about the availability of water to the farmer could be really beneficial.
Pakistan water researchers visit David Mitchell wetlands with Australian water experts. Photo: Charles Sturt University Source: CSU
“Our system is currently based on the supply side [how much water we have] compared to what the farmer needs to know [how much he is using]. So the application of such a system would be extremely beneficial. Also, we need to educate Pakistani farmers to learn more about water [data].”
(ILWS) Director Professor Max Finlayson appreciated the team-based approach used in the groundwater project to help reach its objectives.
“Setting out to achieve changes in practice by water users, water managers, and water researchers was an ambitious aim. I am very impressed with the enthusiasm and effort our team has invested in bringing about these changes in Pakistan.” Prof Finlayson .
All the researchers acknowledged the collaborative role among the institutions, farmers and academics in Australia.
“We witnessed a lot of appreciation among stake holders for each other. Farmers acknowledge the role of policy formulation and accept the news changes in regulations.” Waqas Ahmed from the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology in Pakistan said.
“The farmers in Pakistan have to be taken in confidence through a lot of measures including subsidies and make them understand that water is not a free resource."
However, Mr Ahmed opined that the water systems in Pakistan are better but lack technological intervention.
Pakistani farmer on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, July 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen) Source: AP
“[In Australia] the use of technology has reduced not only theft of water. If we do not have the same technology in Pakistan, we at least need people with integrity.”
Aurangzeb Memon, Sindh Irrigation Department is of similar opinion.
“There is no gap between the [agriculture] industry and the academia. They are working in collaboration with each other.
"There are strong links between researchers, farmers and various authorities.”
The lead expert on ground water representing ILWS - CSU, J F Puthenkey said Pakistan is facing a lot of challenges in ground water.
“There are a million tubewells pumping out water from the grounds in the Punjab province.
“Similarly, in Baluchistan there is a major reduction in water levels too. In some areas, it has reduced to 1000 feet. While in Sindh, there is pumping of water even in fresh water areas.”
Balochistan Irrigation Department researcher, Abdul Razzaq Khilji says that our approach is different from Punjab and other provinces due to the nature of water supply.
“We are primarily dependent on ground water. Even if there is surface water availability in Naseerabad and Dera Murad Jamali, it is not being managed properly.
People at the upstream use more water affecting the supply at the tail.
“Our main problem is the water theft or unnecessary usage.”
