ISLAMABAD: With the novel application of high-level technology combining satellite remote sensing and mathematical modelling supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), water and land management will be improved for more than 750,000 hectares of agricultural land in Punjab.

The Water-Financing Partnership Facility (WFPF)-supported approach has enabled the application of the new technology which has been used elsewhere to inform farmers of irrigation requirements at the farm scale. WFPF is pivotal in enhancing ADB’s operations and responding to the Asia-Pacific region’s challenges by delivering ‘business-as-usual’.

An ADB report highlights that utilising high-level remote sensing technology and mathematical programming techniques for canal management in Punjab will benefit approximately 2 million people.

This intervention enhances resilience to climate changes and improves social equity through rotation corrections, leading to increased food production, farm profitability, and reduced income disparity. The approach offers a cost-effective alternative to infrastructure rehabilitation, showcasing potential for expansion and replication in future irrigation modernisation projects.

The Pakistan activity has brought together farmers, government agencies, leading universities, researchers, canal operators, and consultants to develop innovative technology. It installed sensors and has developed the decision support system to establish a responsive distributary rotation that promotes equity in access to water among farming families to increase their climate resilience.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2024