ISLAMABAD: The Potohar region is losing most of its annual 3.5 million acre feet of water to a lack of storage infrastructure, resulting in largescale soil erosion, Punjab agriculture department officials have warned.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, agriculture department officials discussed the steps being taken by the provincial government to develop agriculture in Potohar.

Soil Conservation Director Malik Ghulam Akbar said the region, which depends on rainfall, not only loses water resources but also faces loss of soil, which is washed away by water.

The Punjab government has taken measures to check the loss of water. During the current fiscal year, 75 mini dams and 110 ponds were under completion in the Potohar region in addition to 60 spillways, 70 outlets, 100 retaining walls and 35 gabion spurs that were under construction to control soil erosion.

Mr Akbar said 80pc of the work on these structures has been completed. It is estimated that 32,190 acres of land will come under cultivation when water reservoirs have been built and soil erosion controlled.

He added that 27 mini dams and 64 ponds were constructed in the Potohar region in the 2016-17 fiscal year, and the construction of 132 spillways, 70 retaining walls and 46 gabion spurs was subsidised by the Punjab government.

Under the Kissan Package, he added, 102 mini dams, 174 water ponds, 39 water storage tanks, 81 gabion spurs and 29 earthen bunds have been constructed.

Mr Akbar said the construction of mini dams and ponds has had beneficial effects on the environment, such as a rise in the groundwater table. He said water reservoirs will also make fish farming possible in the region, while stored water is also being utilised to cultivate fruit and vegetables.

The media was also briefed on water management schemes in the region, by Rawalpindi Water Management Deputy Director Chaudhry Abdul Sattar.

He highlighted the need for efficient irrigation systems such as drip irrigation and sprinkler systems, and said the Punjab government was giving a 60pc subsidy on drip and sprinkler systems.

Barani Agricultural Research Institute (Bari) Director Dr Mohammad Tariq said the cultivation of olives in the Potohar region has great scope, which was why the Punjab government had declared the region to be an olive valley.

Dr Tariq said under a project, Bari is providing free olive plants to interested farmers, and a target of 2 million olive saplings has been fixed until 2020.

Agriculture (Extension) Rawalpindi Division Director Sajjad Haider said that the agriculture department has provided good quality and certified seeds to farmers through balloting; 4,284 farmers were provided certified seeds for free in the Rawalpindi division, he said.

He added that the provincial government is also provided farmers with smartphones at a cost of Rs,1000 for landowners and Rs500 for tenants. The phones include applications to facilitate farming, including a crops calendar.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2018