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Conjunctive water management for sustainable irrigated agriculture in South Asia
Project ID
LWR1/1997/016
Project Country
Commissioned Organisation
International Water Management Institute, Pakistan
Project Leader
Dr Frank Rijsberman
IIMI@cgnet.com
Phone:
94 1 867404
Fax:
94 1 866854
Project Budget
$625,818.00
Start Date
01/07/1998
Finish Date
30/06/2001
Extension Start Date
30/06/2001
Extension Finish Date
31/03/2003
ACIAR Research Program Manager
Dr Ian Willett
Related publications
Overview Objectives
This project aimed to identify and test combinations of technologies, institutions and management tools to conjunctively manage surface and subsurface water. The main objectives were to maximise the short-, medium-and long-term agricultural productivity of water, facilitate water savings and ensure environmental sustainability of irrigated areas in South Asia and Australia.
Project Background and Objectives
Conjunctive water management refers to the management of waters from all sources within a water basin. Its correct application leads to an increase in the amount of available water. Water considerations are major components of any program of socioeconomic development and poverty alleviation for many developing countries. Governments and development agencies recognise this and invested heavily in water resources development projects during the 20th Century.
Currently, opportunities for further water resources development are limited, either due to the absence of water or lack of financial resources. In the meantime, due to a steady rise in population, demand for food continues to increase. Irrigated agriculture, which consumes 69 per cent of all freshwater resources and produces 40 per cent of all food, is expected to require an additional 17 per cent of water to meet the demand for food. This water is not available from primary sources (rain, snow melt or groundwater). Further, freshwater consumption in irrigated agriculture must be reduced to meet the increasing demand for fresh water for domestic and industrial requirements. Therefore, water from all primary sources as well as from secondary sources (drainage, sewage) needs to be used conjunctively in agriculture.
South Asia had no capacity to carry out effective conjunctive management. Proper institutional and technical strategies were needed to manage water conjunctively and minimise threats to the environment. This study aimed to address these concerns. The Rechna Doab region of Pakistan and the Coleambally region in New South Wales, Australia were chosen as the study sites because, while both have access to surface and groundwater supplies, overall water is the limiting factor for agricultural production. Institutional reforms in the water sector were under way in both countries, and both study areas fell in semi-arid environments with little natural drainage due to flat topography. Thus, the environmental consequences of irrigated agriculture (salinity and waterlogging) were similar in the two regions.
Progress Reports (Year 1, 2, 3 etc)
Year 1:
2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Socioeconomic development and poverty alleviation in many developing countries depend on water. Governments and Development Agencies have recognized this and, had invested heavily on water resources development projects during the Twentieth Century. Currently, opportunities for further water resources development are limited, either due to the absence of water or due to a lack of financial resources. In the meantime, due to a steady rise in population, demand for food is continuously increasing. Irrigated agriculture, which consumes 69% of all freshwater resources, and produces 40% of all food, will require additional 17% water to meet the demand for food. This water is not available from primary sources (rain, snow melt, groundwater). Further, freshwater consumption in irrigated agriculture had to decrease to meet increasing demand for freshwater for domestic and industrial requirements. Therefore, water from all primary sources as well as those from secondary sources (drainage, sewage) will be used conjunctively in agriculture. Evaporation and transpiration of water will concentrate salts and pollutants and threaten environmental sustainability of agricultural lands. Proper institutional and technical strategies must be in place to manage water conjunctively to minimize the threat to the environment. This study aims to address this concern.
The Rechna Doab of Pakistan and in the Coleambally region in Australia are chosen as the study sites. Both have access to surface and groundwater supplies, but overall water is the limiting factor for agricultural production. Institutional reforms in the water sector are currently underway in both countries. Both of the study areas fall in semi arid environments, and lack natural drainage due to flat topography. Thus, the environmental consequences of irrigated agriculture (salinity and waterlogging) are the same in these two regions.
The broad goal of the proposed research is to, 'identify combinations of institutions and technical strategies to manage surface and groundwater at regional scale to promote environmental sustainability and maximize agricultural productivity of water ('crop per drop'), initially in the Rechna Doab in Pakistan and Murrumbidgee Region in Australia'.
The study is being carried out by IWMI in collaboration with Pakistan Council of Research Water Resources (PCRWR), and CSIRO Land and Water, Griffith, NSW, Australia. The research staff from IWMI in 1999 was comprised of Dr. S. A. Prathapar (Team Leader), Dr. Ralf Starkloff (Institutional Specialist), Dr. Waqar A. Jehangir (Agricultural Economist), Dr. M. Shafqat Ejaz (Civil Engineer) and Mr. Nazim Ali (Agricultural Economist). The Staff from PCRWR is consisted of Dr. Bashir A. Chandio (Chairman, PCRWR), Mr. Gul Mohammed Shah (Regional Director) and Hafiz M. Nafees Ahmad (Junior Agricultural Engineer). The CSIRO team consisted of Dr. Evan Christen, Dr. Shabaz Khan, and Awadhesh Prasad.
Expected outputs from the study are:
1. Identification of technical and institutional elements contributing to effective conjunctive water management at a regional scale.
2. Groundwater flow models for Rechna Doab and CIA, to allow prediction of groundwater behavior selected management strategies.
3. A generic surface water allocation model applicable to irrigated regions.
4. A GIS based generic methodology to identify suitable sites for artificial recharge basins.
5. A low cost - low maintenance design of evaporation basins to minimize downstream environmental degradation.
6. Econometric models to evaluate financial and environmental trade-offs of effective conjunctive water management at sub divisional level.
All outputs listed above with the exception of the groundwater models are generic in nature. The knowledge gained is transferable to other irrigated regions in Semi Arid regions. The Indian Council for Agricultural Research is initiating a similar project in northwestern India. Dr. Prathapar provides technical advice to this project.
Year 2:
2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Rechna Doab of Pakistan and in the Coleambally region in Australia are chosen as the study sites. Both have access to surface and groundwater supplies, but overall water is the limiting factor for agricultural production. Institutional reforms in the water sector are currently underway in both countries. Both of the study areas fall in semi arid environments, and lack natural drainage due to flat topography. Thus, the environmental consequences of irrigated agriculture (salinity and waterlogging) are the same in these two regions.
The broad goal of the proposed research is to, 'identify combinations of institutions and technical strategies to manage surface and groundwater at regional scale to promote environmental sustainability and maximize agricultural productivity of water ('crop per drop'), initially in the Rechna Doab in Pakistan and Murrumbidgee Region in Australia'.
The study is being carried out by IWMI in collaboration with Pakistan Council of Research Water Resources (PCRWR), and CSIRO Land and Water, Griffith, NSW, Australia. The research staff from IWMI in 2000 was comprised of Dr. S. A. Prathapar (Team Leader), Dr. Waqar A. Jehangir (Agricultural Economist), Dr. M. Shafqat Ejaz (Civil Engineer) and Mr. Saeed ur Rehman (Agricultural Economist). The Staff from PCRWR is consisted of Dr. Mr. Gul Mohammed Shah (Regional Director) and Hafiz M. Nafees Ahmad (Junior Agricultural Engineer). The CSIRO team consisted of Dr. Evan Christen, Dr. Shabaz Khan, and Awadhesh Prasad.
Expected outputs from the study are:
1. Identification of technical and institutional elements contributing to effective conjunctive water management at a regional scale.
2. Groundwater flow models for Rechna Doab and CIA, to allow prediction of groundwater behavior selected management strategies.
3. A generic surface water allocation model applicable to irrigated regions.
4. A GIS based generic methodology to identify suitable sites for artificial recharge basins.
5. A low cost - low maintenance design of evaporation basins to minimize downstream environmental degradation.
6. Econometric models to evaluate financial and environmental trade-offs of effective conjunctive water management at sub divisional level.
All outputs listed above with the exception of the groundwater models are generic in nature. The Discussion between Dr Christen and "Center for International Research in Agriculture for Development" (French research organization) scientists found that they were extremely interested in this CWU project and there is a strong possibility for future work to be extended into Morocco with them.
Year 3:
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Year 4:
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Project Outcomes
Key outcomes included identification of institutional constraints for sustainable conjunctive water management in the Rechna Doab. A Nodal Network Model was developed for Rechna Doab. Technical constraints to conjunctive water management were also identified, using Rechna Doab surface and groundwater interaction model and a customised SWAGMAN Farm model.
Scientists developed a solute transport model for Coleambally Irrigation Cooperative Limited (CICL) and undertook a feasibility analysis of the surface evaporation basin. They identified shallow and deep groundwater pumping options in the Coleambally Irrigation Area.
As a result of the study the Punjab Irrigation Department (PID) has adopted institutional arrangements identified by the project team. As well the CICL has adopted shallow and deep groundwater options, and reorganised the environmental zones in terms of groundwater management zones defined by the project team.
In order to disseminate the results of the project to various stakeholders, researchers and policy makers the project team held a two-day workshop in April 2002 in Lahore. Stakeholders heard presentations and were later involved in extensive discussions. On the first day the papers addressed modelling conjunctive water management and technical issues regarding conjunctive water management, drawing on the experience in Pakistan and Australia.
The four papers on the second day of the workshop covered the economic and institutional aspects of conjunctive water management. There followed panel discussions to formulate strategies and recommendations for sustainable conjunctive water use. During the third session of the workshop participants received hands-on training and demonstrations of technical and management tools.
Location
There are no project locations defined for this project.
