ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank will provide assistance worth $100 million to Pakistan to build a climate-resilient multipurpose dam in Balochistan to boost agricultural production and ensure rural flood protection in the province.

According to an ADB document, preparation for the $350m ‘Naulong Integrated Water Resources Development’ project has commenced and it is expected that the Manila-based bank will approve financing in 2025.

The proposed project site at the Naulong gorge, on the Mula river in Jhal Magsi district, was the most technically feasible and economically viable opportunity for water resources development.

The Mula river is a dryland basin, which is characterised by significantly higher annual evapotranspiration as compared to average annual rainfall of the province. Balochistan is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts given its inherent aridity and low and erratic precipitation. Severe droughts occurred most recently in 2018 and major floods in 2021 and 2022.

The project will address poverty and reducing inequalities, accelerate progress in gender equality, tackle climate change, build climate and disaster resilience, and enhance environmental sustainability; promote rural development and food security, and augment availability, reliability and quality of fresh water resources to meet essential agricultural energy, municipal and environmental needs.

Balochistan’s annual water availability per hectare averages 560 cubic metres. It is significantly lower than the 2,500 cubic metres average of Pakistan’s other three provinces. Balochistan has 18 river basins, and its water resource comprises of flood water (57 per cent), water from the Indus Basin (39pc) and groundwater (4pc).

The ADB report says floodwater has greater development potential as only 40pc is used for irrigation and 60pc flows towards the sea. Agriculture accounts for 93pc of total water use in Balochistan. Water resources management remains underdeveloped resulting in low water productivity.

Balochistan has limited number of perennial rivers. Peak water flows do not coincide with crop water requirements. Water storage, particularly for managing flood waters is limited.

The proposed ensuing project will offer a viable and sustainable solution to Balochistan’s key development constraints. It will harness wet season waters generated by intense but highly episodic rainfall by creating a storage reservoir for longer-term use, particularly during dry seasons.

The project will also install two hydropower plants with an overall capacity of 4.4 megawatts. It will support and ensure climate change resilience. Climate resilience measures and climate smart agriculture practices will be incorporated in the detailed design.

This will be underpinned by a detailed and updated climate change risk assessment to confirm reservoir size to ensure future reliability of water; incorporate dam safety measures under future estimated flood risks; and include elements of water-energy nexus in water security and climate adaptation.

The ADB says socioeconomic benefits of the proposed ensuing project are substantial.

The provision of a perennial source of water will enhance and diversify agricultural production, increase farm incomes, and improve livelihoods of beneficiary communities. Climate adaptive agriculture practices will increase community resilience to impacts of climate change and encourage sustainable agribusiness opportunities.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2024