The Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) has placed Pakistan at the third position in the list of countries facing acute water scarcity.

It has been predicted that by 2040, Pakistan will be on its way to becoming one of the most water-stressed countries in the region with lack of surface water availability for irrigation, industry and human consumption. As a result, the country will be facing far reaching impacts on agriculture and food security, as well as health and hygiene, requiring urgent and widespread intervention.

Increase in population, climate change, water wastage and inefficient systems of irrigation remain some of the prime causes behind ineffective use of water and its shortage.

With the rapid increase in population and its inevitable impact on natural resources, there is an increasing need to introduce effective measures that ensure water is not just conserved but also used efficiently to meet the rising demands of both the present and the future.

Under the burden of climate change, Pakistan continues to face reductions in water supply due to high rate of water evaporation and an increase in the need of watering of crops required to optimise yield.

According to WorldometerPakistan has the world's fifth highest rate of water use.

The main reason behind this is water wastage; one of the many challenges that pose increasing risks of water scarcity in the country.

Adding to that is the challenge of distribution and accumulation of safe drinking water.

According to UNICEF, more than two-thirds of households drink bacterially contaminated water and, every year, 53,000 Pakistani children die due to diarrhoea caused by its continued consumption.

Bayer Pakistan and Tayaba Organisation, as part of their first-ever collaboration, have distributed 2,000 H2O Water Wheels in communities in rural Pakistan which face acute water shortages as well as water transportation challenges.

An estimated 1,000 H20 water wheels were distributed in the Umerkot and Tharparkar areas of Sindh, while the other 1,000 H20 water wheels were distributed in the Hasilpur region of Punjab.

The communities included in this collaborative project were selected based on their needs; 14,000 people benefitted from this project directly while many more benefitted indirectly and the goals of the project are in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) including Goal 5 (Gender Equality), and Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

The Tayaba Water Wheels initiative, which is also endorsed by Pakistan's water ministry, offers not only a convenient and hygienic transportation method for water in the form of H2O wheels (40-liter drum-shaped containers with specially designed handles to enable rolling on the ground), but also hygienic storage. Thus, it will help reduce the incidence of water-borne disease, as well as medical conditions in women and children caused by carrying heavy containers of water over long distances on their heads.

Bayer Pakistan's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) Dr. Imran Ahmad Khan said: “This project is well-aligned with Bayer’s global vision 'Health for All, Hunger for None.' At Bayer, we believe in sustainable development and making a difference where our efforts are needed the most. Pakistan is facing grave and wide-spread water availability challenges. Affordable, sustainable interventions such as the H2O water wheels are an effective, immediate solution that improves the daily lives of people, and I am pleased that Bayer has been able to help in this area.”

Founder of Tayaba Organisation, Bilal Bin Saqib said: “Globally, 2.2 billion people currently do not have access to safely-managed drinking water, while a million neonatal and maternal deaths are associated with waterborne diseases annually. Pakistan is one of the worst victims of water scarcity. But often challenges like these require simple and effective solutions like the H2O Wheel. At Tayaba, through improved accessibility of water, which unlocks opportunities for a better future and a better life, our aim is to serve at least 500,000 people directly across Pakistan, in the next five years.”

This content is a paid advertisement by Bayer Pakistan and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.