THE reported 25 per cent water shortage expected during the Rabi season is deeply worrying for our agriculture sector, particularly when wheat already faces a serious production challenge. What makes the situation more alarming is that the country has experienced good monsoon rains this year, with the rainy spell continuing in many areas. Yet, despite this welcome rainfall, water availability for the coming cropping season remains under considerable pressure.
This situation once again exposes one of Pakistan’s most persistent weaknesses: our inability to adequately store and conserve rainwater. Water is lost during periods of heavy rainfall because of inadequate storage capacity, while the country subsequently faces shortages when water is needed for different crops. Had sufficient reservoirs been constructed over the years, a substantial portion of this surplus water could have been stored for use during the dry months. The low carryover in the major reservoirs ahead of Rabi should therefore be treated as more than a seasonal challenge. It is a warning about the structural vulnerabilities of our water and agriculture systems. With wheat being the principal Rabi crop, a significant shortage could further complicate food security, especially after the country already experienced a substantial wheat shortfall last season. The government must therefore give urgent attention to accelerating the construction of water reservoirs and improving existing storage infrastructure. Delays in expanding storage capacity carry an increasingly high economic and food-security cost. At the same time, increasing water supply alone will not solve the problem. We must also reduce wastage through better water management and modern agricultural practices. Drip irrigation, sprinkler systems, precision irrigation and other water-efficient techniques should be promoted on a much wider scale, particularly in areas where groundwater and canal water are under stress. While a comprehensive water policy is already in place, its effective implementation remains essential. We cannot afford to continue wasting this precious resource and leave future generations to bear the consequences of water scarcity.
