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Agriculture
In Sindh
Syed
Manzoor Alam
The
Indus Plains, covering an area of about 16,100 square
kilometers,
is the most prosperous agricultural regions in the country.
It extends from
1,050 to 1,130 kilometers from the Potohar plateu north
to southward to the Arabian
Sea. The river Indus, having its source in Lake Mansorowar
in Tibet, flows almost the
whole length of Pakistan. Sindh has a geographical area
of 140,900 square kilometers. The province lies between
23’ and 29’ degrees north latitude (near tropic
of cancer) and 67’ and 71’ degree east longitude.
The province is surrounded by land in all directions
except there is
Arabian Sea in the southwest near Karachi. It is bordered
with Rann of Kutch in south,
Rajasthan in east, Punjab province in northeast and
Balchistan in north and west. In
the west, there is barren Kirthar mountains, while in
the east is Thar desert. In the
centre of Sindh, the mighty river Indus is flowing from
the world’s highest
mountains after traveling a long distance into the Arabian
Sea. The
colossal flow of Indus water has brogyht for Sindh rich
in silt and sandy loam,
from the extreme northeren areas. The Sindh has about
18 percent of total geographical
area of Pakistan (79.612 million hectares).
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Indus valley has been
known for its fertility and agricultural productivity
since long. The better days had continued to prevail
even for the first few years after the creation
of Pakistan, but soon the conditions started deteriorating.
High increase in population is the main cause, followed
by limited water resources, which too have not been
utilized effectively. Water logging and alinity
isd also emerging as another major cause of stagnant
agricultural production in Pakistan, in general
and in Sindh in particular. The gradual decrease
in the cropped and irrigated areas of Sindh and
the rapid migration from the rural areas to the
cities are also curtailing agriculture in the province.
The total geographical areas of Sindh is 14.09 million
hectares, out of which 27 percent is classified
as cropped area. The statistics reveal that the
cropped area of Sindh has been decreased upto 2.30
percent, while that Punjab, NWFP and Baluchistan
has been increased by 9.83, 5.01 and 7.56 percent,
respectively, and as far as irrigated area is concerned
data show that have gained 26, 13 and 22 percent,
respectively, whereas, Sindh has lost about 10 percent
during the period 1980-1998. Both water and land
are crucial for agricultural and its sustainability.
These however, are becoming increasing by scarce
in Sindh, because of low seasonal releases of water
and water logging and salinity, which pose a serious
threat to agricultural productivity and sustainability
in the province.
Farming in Sindh has failed to keep pace with that
in Punjab due to the modern technology being needed
there. Agricultur in Sindh is purely dependent on
canal irrigation system as there is much less rainfall
thanin other parts of the country. The lands of
Sindh are going to become deteriorating day by day
due to enormous loss of irrigation water, which
is lost midway and also due to water loggin and
salinity. It is true that the construction of small
dams on the seasonal reivers will increase the availability
of water to some extent for the benefit of agriculture.
The farmers of this province are very slow in keeping
pace with modern technology as compared to other
provinces.
Sindh has less share for agricultural development.
On the other side, the farmers of Sindh are not
trained and their knowledge regarding uplifting
of agricultural activities is very poor. Regarding
the application of agricultural inputs, it has been
observed that investement in the field is not appropriate
and according to the requirements. Regarding uses
of some inputs, it has been revealed that in 1997-98,
the total consumption of fertilizers was 2660 thousand
nutrient tons. Out of this, 18 x 105 tons ( 86 percent)
were distributed in Punjab, while only 1080 tons
(less than 2 percent) are distributed in Sindh.
This indicates that in Punjab, one tons of improved
seed is distributed for every 257 hectares, while
in the province of Sindh only one ton for every
3950 hectares.
Sindh and Punjab have been advised to equally share
the irrigation water shortage during the Rabi-2001
cultivation season. The decision was made by the
Indus River System Authority (IRSA). “In NWFP
and Baluchistan, however, they would continue to
get their full share of water during the crop season.
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The minimum
availability of irrigation water for Rabi-2001 has
been estimated at 23.272 million acres feet (MAF)
against 35.52 MAF allocated share of the pronvinces
under the average historical use. Thus, both Sindh
and Punjab would share expected to 12 MAF water
shortage during the season. The current water level
in the Tarbela and Chashma dams as in October, was
calculated at 6.763 MAF against 9.007 MAF in 1999-2000
and 10.65 MAF in 1998-99.
In Mangla dam, water availability was 3.3. MAF on
October against 5.3 MAF in 1999-2001 and 6.07 MAF
in 1998-99. While, in Chashma dam, the water availability
on October, was 3.067 MAF against 3.24 MAF in 1999-
2001 and 4.16 MAF in 1998-99. Giving details of
the province-wise water distribution for Rabi-2001,
sources said on minimum availability basis,Punjab
would get 12.275 MAF against average historical
use allocation of 19.74. Thus, the water shortage
in Punjab will be 37.81 percent.Sindh would receive
9.315 MAF against an allocation of 14.87 MAF thus
facing a shortage of 37.35 percent during the Rabi
season. |
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| NWFP would
get 0.705 MAF Baluchistan 0.977 MAF during the Rabi
2001. As far as province-wise crop requirement of
irrigation water is concerned, Punjab needs 22 MAF
to meet its total irrigation needs during Rabi-2001,
Sindh 15.60 MAF, NWFP 0.8 MAF, Baluchistan 1.02
MAF. Thus, total crop-wise water requirement is
around 39.489 MAF.Regarding water availability /
withdrawals at the canal heads, Punjab canals would
get 12.27 MAF during Rabi 2001 against 18.93 MAF
in 1999-2000, 15.8 MAF in 1998-99 and 14.900 MAF
in 1997-98. NWFP canal would get 0.705 MAF during
2000-2001 against 10.722 MAF in 1999-2000, 1.157
MAF in 1998-99 and 0.757 MAF in 1997-98. Baluchistan
canals would have 0.977 MAF in 2000-2001, against
0.13 MAF in 1999-2001, 0.15 MAF in 1998-99and 0.32
MAF in 1997-98. Therefore, irrigation water is the
most essential component of agriculture. Without
timely availability of water, it is very difficult
to grow any crop.
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